Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng must seek an audience with the Johor sultan if he is sincere about apologising over his statement which is said to have disparaged Johor, says Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan.

“As a Johorean, I challenge Lim to personally come and seek an audience with the sultan (to apologise) and not to simply issue an apology through the newspapers," he said in an Utusan Malaysia report today.

Lim was alleged to have suggested during a working visit to Singapore that Johor was unsafe as visitors were more likely to be kidnapped there, unlike Penang.

He has since issued an apology over the remarks after Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar expressed dismay over the comments.

“He has to prove the sincerity of his apology and show that he truly regrets his statement,” said Ahmad.

A group of protesters also echoed the message after burning an effigy of Lim in the state yesterday.

‘Bernama awaits apology demand’

The report of Lim’s comments first appeared on national news agency Bernama, claiming that the statement was made in Australia.

Lim had vehemently denied the allegation, demanding an unconditional apology from Bernama.

However, in a Sinar Harian report today, Bernama editor-in-chief Yong Soo Heong said he has not received any notice demanding an apology.

“Even though he (Lim) has said that the notice was sent last Friday, we have yet to receive it. We have to inspect the contents of the notice and consult our lawyers before considering withdrawing the report.”

Shortly after the Bernama report, TV3 revealed that the statement was in fact made in Singapore.