Prove 1 Malaysia no empty slogan, DAP tells Najib
Lim Guan Eng said the recent spate of racially motivated attacks targetting both him and Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan is a sign that Najib’s 1 Malaysia slogan “has been completely ripped apart”. — file picKUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak must step in and halt racial hatred being perpetrated by extremist elements within Umno to prove his 1 Malaysia slogan still stands, the DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said today.
The opposition leader was referring to the recent spike in seemingly racially-driven attacks against electoral reform lobbyist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and himself, which Lim pinned on the ruling Malay party’s supporters, including its media, namely the Utusan Malaysia newspaper.
“Najib’s 1 Malaysia slogan has been completely ripped apart and ignored by the extremist and racist supporters of Umno who are conducting a sustained campaign of primitive hatred and imagined fears against Bersih co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Singapore and myself,” the DAP secretary-general said in a statement today.
Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, raised as an example Umno lawmaker Datuk Mohamad Aziz’s suggestion in Parliament last month that Ambiga be hanged for purported treason against the King, following a spate of protests outside the prominent lawyer’s home by several right-wing Malay groups who also offered the vegetarian Hindu a beef burger in blatant disrespect of her religious beliefs.
Umno’s political partner, MIC, has said that Mohamad’s remarks have hurt the feelings of Malaysian Indians, whose vote could tip the balance of power between the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and the federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact, in national elections due within a year.
The Bagan MP pointed out that Mohamad has not apologised for his remarks against Ambiga and wants PM Najib to direct the Sri Gading MP to do so.
He also noted Utusan’s questionable campaign to link his party and Penang’s administration to unsubstantiated claims that certain elements in the country want to put a Christian prime minister in Putrajaya and create a Christian Malaysian state through the publication of reports and editorials accusing the DAP of conspiring with Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
As a result of the paper’s articles, several Malay groups — notably Perkasa, which has the backing of influential former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its patron — have accused three Singapore envoys of taking part in the chaotic April 28 Bersih rally in the national capital, which PM Najib has said was a bid to overthrow his federal BN government.
“Najib should withdraw Umno’s support for Perkasa and direct that stern police action be taken against Perkasa for such violent behaviour.
“Failure to do so would only further encourage even more violent behaviour and Najib would have to bear full responsibility for any even more serious incidents in future,” Lim said.
