The pattern is emerging from the events from the past few months that there is a small group of anti-Malaysia elements whose nefarious and treacherous designs are to foment racial and religious strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tensions.
I categorise in this group of anti-Malaysia elements with nefarious and treacherous designs those responsible for the recent Molotov cocktail attack on a church in Penang, the hanging of provocative banner “Allah is Great. Jesus in the son of Allah” outside five churches in Penang without the knowledge of the church authorities and the vandalism of eight gravestones in a Christian cemetery near Kuantan.
Recently, DAP National Vice Chairperson and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok’s “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” was the subject of a national frenzy that it was anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers, causing a group of self-styled “Islamic NGOs” to hold a “chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing” demonstration, including offering RM1,200 to anyone who slaps Teresa Kok – although nobody could substantiate the allegation that the video was anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers in the past three weeks.
Truth becomes a victim of such a nefarious and treacherous plot for the perpetrators are not interested in facts, truth, honesty, tolerance and moderation but only in inciting racial and religious hatred to create a feverish atmosphere to force people to surrender reason and to succumb to the basest of emotions and irrationality.
DAP calls for a nation-wide “Love Malaysia, Save Malaysia” campaign to rescue the country from the nefarious and treacherous designs of a small group of anti-Malaysian elements out to foment racial and religious strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tensions.
I have no doubt that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, whether in DAP, PKR or PAS in Pakatan Rakyat or in UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other component parties in Barisan Nasional do not want racial and religious strife in the country, as they are moderates and patriots who want the best for the country, their children and children’s children.
But they must not keep quiet and allow a small group irresponsible and reckless people out to create racial and religious strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflicts and tensions a field day to create chaos and destroy our beloved Malaysia.
The moderates and patriots must speak up loud and clear to dissociate themselves and condemn the irresponsible and treacherous activities of these anti-Malaysia elements who want to create another May 13 by raising the spectre of May 13 riots, racial chaos and religious conflagration.
They must save Malaysia to ensure that Malaysian citizens and future generations can continue to enjoy multi-racial and multi-religious peace, harmony and solidarity.
How many people, for instance, really supported the irresponsible and reckless demonstration of the self-styled Islamic NGOs who offered RM1,200 to anyone who slaps Teresa Kok and slaughtered four chickens to smear their blood on the photographs of DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders – alleging that Teresa Kok’s video was anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers without an iota of evidence?
Are the majority of Malays and Muslims behind the action of these self-styled “Islamic NGOs”.
I do not believe so. But the silence of the moderate and patriotic Malays and Muslims allow the irresponsible and reckless elements behind the “cash for slap” and “chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing” demonstration to pretend that their nefarious and anti-Malaysia actions had the support of overwhelming majority of Malays and Muslims.
This is why moderate and patriotic Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, must unite to “Love Malaysia, Save Malaysia” from extremist and unpatriotic elements who want to destroy inter-racial and inter-religious harmony and peace in Malaysia in order to serve their petty political ends.
(Media Conference Statement in Batu Pahat on Sunday, 16th February 2014 at 11 am)
Excellent. Let’s have parliament fine tune and adopt it as the new Malaysia Declaration. Any politician who does not abide by the Declaration is considered unpatriotic and should be cast aside by their party leaders.
Two points are made in this article: (1) presence of “anti-Malaysia elements whose nefarious and treacherous designs are to foment racial and religious strife through incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tensions”; (2) a need for a nation-wide “Love Malaysia, Save Malaysia” campaign to rescue the country from these elements. As far as (1) goes, govt authorities are supposed to curb extremists. The implication that one needs a nation wide campaign in (2) implies that the authorities are either not doing anything or if they are, nothing effective to curb thiss rise of extremism, hence the need for nation wide campaign to buttress and support. If this were so, in what form is this campaign to take? I assume for moderate voices to be be heard effectively moderates would need to band together, exchange opinions, publicize their moderate ideas, condemn extremists, recruit more and more moderate members so that it becomes in numbers a movement eventually. How does one go about doing this? Writing a lot to blogs or media whether on line or print? A signature petition? Organising ceramahs on moderation? A formation of an organisation or a non political NGO with specific object or agenda to “Love Malaysia, Save Malaysia” from extremists? If so who are the promoters and office bearers? In short, how to implement in practical terms this call of yours for a campaign?
Most Malaysians are struggling to make ends meet and may not have the time to deliberate and think through all these national issues.
I would suggest that Pakatan come up with clear and simple step plans for people to adopt.
1) If BN really wants to create racial and religious tension to usher in emergency rule, let us know what we must do to stop them – for instance, say nothing provocative – even if one wants to criticise, use temperate language
2) to promote racial and religious integration amongst the majority, what should we do? eat together, do activities together etc. especially standing in solidarity with victim groups – churches, non-straights, Pakatan, pro-democracy/anti-corruption NGOs etc.
3) to ensure redelineation is properly carried out, what should each individual do? who do we contact as our local representative, what documentary evidence do we prepare etc.
4) how does each community ensure that the streets are safe from crime/petty crime, the homes are safe from domestic violence (that may be increasing as a result of economic hardship), and people don’t sabotage a peaceful environment either by way of stirring up religious/racial tension with dog/pig/cow meat etc. – what can the average person do to monitor and report? how can this be escalated up a channel that is objective and impartial aka might not be the police
5) how can the public muscle through changes to the education system? what bad things parents/students should keep a look out for, and who do they communicate with to escalate the issue so that the society can be mobilised?
6) how do one participate in bringing developmental, education and enpowerment issues and action plans to rural areas which are the last bastion of UMNO vote bank? what are the specifics that we can do? Who do we communicate with? How do we organise?
Pakatan is never going to be able to overcome the increasingly intolerant and tense climate raised by UMNO/Perkasa/BN by just continuing to make clever speeches to Malaysian Insider, Free Malaysia Today, Malaysian Chronicles, Malaysiakini etc.
There is a need to organise the grassroots and to mobilise the public so each person has a role that when it snowballs will have a significant political action impact – it’s only through this method that Pakatan is going to get an actual buy in from the people who is not stymied thinking there is only one form of contribution, which is to participate in a rally – but there are other things they can do – it also encourages freshness since people don’t like to do the same things thrice! Political movement as a process needs to be engaging and has a deepening impact that contributes to a person’s life – plus it needs to be of some fun
So get on it and come up with these step plans already – the people are ready to mobilise but they have their own unique capacity to mobilise – Pakatan must tap into each and every of these capacity instead of relying only on bodies for rallies which may eventually become ineffective, or blogging which appears to be reaching an increasingly plateauing number of audience