See-To and J-Kom chief trade blows and legal challenges

PETALING JAYA: Social media influencer Eric See-To and J-Kom chief Hisyamuddin Ghazali have continued to trade verbal blows and legal challenges against each other over accusations of racism and abuse of power.

See-to, a former Barisan Nasional communications specialist, challenged Hisyamuddin to sue him in court, after Hisyamuddin, who is director-general of the community communications department (J-Kom), said he would send See-To a letter of demand for accusing him of being racist.

See-To said that if Hisyamuddin failed to file a court summons against him within the next two weeks, he would take legal action against Hisyamuddin, and also name the communications minister, director-general of public services, and the prime minister as co-defendants.

He would also file a civil summons for abuse of power in a public office, See-To said in an online post.

Hisyamuddin files police report

Hisyamuddin had earlier accused See-To of twisting his words to make it seem like he had attacked all Chinese people, when he had specifically targeted See-To and businessman Albert Tei.

The J-Kom chief had come under fire yesterday for allegedly using a racial slur “Cina sesat” (misguided Chinese) against Tei and See-To in a social media post that was later amended. He also allegedly described Tei and See-To as “opposition lackeys”, claiming they had continuously attacked Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Hisyamuddin said he had filed a police report, and that his office was compiling evidence, including links and screenshots for his case. “My lawyers have looked into all statements and related publications on social media for further action,” he said.

However, See-To said his legal action would argue that public funds intended for neutral and professional government communications had been diverted for partisan, political and personal purposes.

“This includes the targeting of government critics, threats of legal action, police reports, defence of racism and production of propaganda unrelated with the government’s official communications mandate,” he said.

“Public funds are not party funds. A government position is not a licence to be a cybertrooper,” he said.