SELANGOR, (29 July 2026) — Businessman Nicky Liow Soon Hee today called for public discourse to be based on facts and evidence, saying speculation over a recent photograph should not override the truth.

Liow stressed he is not a member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and has never applied to join, a fact he noted had already been publicly confirmed by PKR Secretary-General Fuziah Salleh.

“I have never announced my membership in any political party, nor have I ever applied to become a PKR member,” he told a press conference in Puchong here.

He explained the AMK shirt he wore at the event was purchased at the venue through a fundraising sale to support the programme, and was not distributed for free.

“The purchase and wearing of a uniform sold at a public fundraising event should not be directly interpreted as joining a political party, nor should it be used as a basis to infer a person’s political identity,” he said.

On the photograph with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Liow said greeting guests and taking pictures at public events was normal.

“I am an ordinary citizen and an entrepreneur in property development, construction and food and beverage. I hold no position in any political party. Like everyone else at the event, I attended as a member of the public. There was no political identity or special treatment as alleged,” he said.

Liow also addressed a previous legal case that had resurfaced in commentary, saying all related judicial proceedings had been concluded in accordance with the law. He said his lawyers would brief the media on the case history and court decisions to ensure accurate reporting, and that relevant documents had been prepared for reference.

He urged elected representatives to base scrutiny on verified facts.

“Members of Parliament have every right to question the government.

"However, such questions must be based on verified facts rather than unverified assumptions. Otherwise, they risk misleading the public and causing unnecessary harm to another person’s reputation,” he said.

Liow warned that any false or misleading statements damaging his personal or business reputation could result in legal action.

“Freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to make baseless accusations. Public criticism must always be supported by facts and evidence, not speculation,” he said.

He concluded by saying what mattered to Malaysians was national development, the economy and jobs, “not turning a photograph taken at a public event into a prolonged political controversy”.

“Facts must come before politics. Evidence must come before allegations. The rule of law must prevail over labels,” he said.

The controversy arose after Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung publicly questioned a photograph of Liow with the Prime Minister taken at an open event attended by about 3,000 people.

The image, which showed Liow in an AMK shirt, drew commentary on social media with some suggesting it indicated political affiliation or special access.