KUALA LUMPUR – Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong has declared he is ready to face legal action by PAS leader Zaharuddin Muhammad, after accusing the latter of inciting racial sentiments by exploiting the appointment of a Chinese officer to the top ranks of the armed forces.
Sim, who is also the Bukit Mertajam MP from the DAP, did not mince words in response to the threat of a lawsuit from Zaharuddin — the Sungai Buloh PAS chief and son-in-law of party president Abdul Hadi Awang.
“Now you want to take legal action against me? I will not back down from standing up to a PAS leader who is racist, prejudiced, and has insulted our soldiers,” Sim wrote on Facebook today.
“If defending Malaysia’s multiethnic harmony and the honour of our armed forces warrants a lawsuit, I am ready. I await the letter of demand from his lawyer.”
Sim’s remarks followed public outrage over a Facebook post by Zaharuddin, which many viewed as racially charged and disrespectful.
The post, since deleted, featured a speculative narrative about Malaysia potentially having a non-Malay prime minister by 2058, drawing parallels with the promotion of a Chinese officer, Lieutenant-General Datuk Johnny Lim Eng Seng.
The post included a screenshot of a news report on Lim’s appointment — the first time a Malaysian Chinese officer has reached the three-star general rank. This pairing of an imagined future with a real-life promotion led to accusations that Zaharuddin was undermining the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and stoking racial fears.
Sim asserted that Zaharuddin’s use of Lim’s image to push a narrative about foreign threats and demographic shifts was a clear act of racial provocation.
“He himself incited racial sentiments by manipulating the image of the appointment of a Malaysian Chinese Lieutenant-General in the ATM. Even his party has acknowledged this in their media statement,” Sim said.
“I urge the authorities again to take firm legal action against Zaharuddin.”
‘I never linked the two’: Zaharuddin
Zaharuddin, for his part, denied that his post was an attack on Lim’s promotion. In a new Facebook post, he insisted the photo was “purely decorative” and not intended to cast aspersions on the newly promoted officer.
He maintained that his primary concern was the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, which he claims could potentially allow foreigners to gain citizenship, vote, and one day lead the country.
“My main point was to raise awareness about the risks of MM2H. I said clearly that the image below was only for illustration and had no connection to the news above,” he wrote.
Zaharuddin compared the theoretical rise of non-Malay political power in Malaysia to what he described as the organised demographic shift in Palestine, drawing further backlash.
He accused Sim and others of misrepresenting his post due to political prejudice, saying they interpreted his commentary based on their assumptions about his opposition to a “Malaysian Malaysia” agenda.
“Steven Sim Chee Keong and his ilk jumped to conclusions. There was no explicit or implicit statement criticising Lim’s appointment. What they see is filtered through their own bias,” he said.
Zaharuddin added that he had deleted the original post not out of fear but due to the flood of hostile comments it received, claiming it was targeted by cyber troopers.
He also revealed plans to consult legal counsel on possible action against Sim and media outlets that allegedly distorted his post.
Zaharuddin’s post sparked strong criticism, including from Pakatan Harapan leaders and veterans. – June 26, 2025