I must give credit to the diabolical “cleverness and creativeness” of the UMNO cybertroopers and those committed to incessant incitement of racial and religious animosities, hatred, conflict and tension in recent months to create racial chaos and religious conflagration in coming out with a new accusation against me.
I thought after some 48 years of Malaysian politics, there will be no accusation that had not already been hurled against me and there could be no new accusation against me.
I had been accused of being anti-Malay, anti-Indian, even anti-Chinese of being anti-Chinese Chinese-educated, anti-Chinese English-educated (not yet accused of being anti-Chinese Malay-educated); I have been accused of being anti-Islam, anti-Hindu, anti-Christianity; I have been accused of being a CIA agent, KGB agent, Australian Secret-Service Agent, a Singapore agent even Special Branch agent at home – and anti-nationalist!
I have even been accused of having caused the May 13 riots in 1969 (if so, why have I been allowed to be at large in Parliament and Malaysian politics over four decades) and most disgusting of all, that I have urinated at the flagpole of the then Selangor Mentri Besar’s residence in Kuala Lumpur when in fact I was in Sabah at the time.
What other new accusation could be made against me?
But I was wrong – for underestimating the devilish inventiveness of those out to cause mischief in our multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural nation
The latest accusation against me in the social media by UMNO cybertroopers is that I am anti-Quran because of a media statement I issued on February 1 on the Friday sermon of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) that the division among Muslims was not only caused by a weak faith but also because of the instigation of Christians and Jews.
I expressed triple regret at the Jakim’s sermon as it went against:
• The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Cabinet’s positive response at its Cabinet meeting on 29th January 2014 to the Pakatan Rakyat’s olive branch reiterated by PR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for a Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Rakyat Leaders’ Summit on national reconciliation to check worsening national situation in the country, in particular the worst racial and religious polarization in the nation’s history as a result of incessant incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension by a small group of reckless and irresponsible persons bent on destabilizing the country through lies and falsehoods, even to create another May 13;
• Najib’s advocacy of Wasatiyyah (moderation in Arabic) as important policy in ASEAN and world conduct of nations – affecting not only Islam but also in respect of all other faiths; and
• The World Interfaith Harmony Week (3 – 9 February 2014) proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 20th October 2010 as a way to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith as “mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace”.
In my statement of Feb. 1, I did not refer to any Quranic verse or hadith but I am now accused of being anti-Quran.
It makes me wonder whether a high-powered plot to frame me up like Teresa Kok in 2008 so that I could be detained on the ground of being anti-Quran and inciting racial and religious disharmony!
In September 2008, DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok was falsely accused of signing a petition that azan prayers at the Kinrara mosque had disturbed the peace and was detained under the Internal Security Act – together with blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Sin Chew reporter Tan Hoon Cheng.
Is somebody toying with the idea that I should be arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) on the ground that I am anti-Quran and a danger and threat to the public order and security of the country?
Why is the Police keeping silent and unconcerned about the continued pumping of lies and falsehoods, whose sole intention is the incessant incitement of racial and religious animosities, hatred, conflict and tension to create racial chaos and religious conflagration?
Would the police be similarly silent and unconcerned if the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, or the non-Malay and non-Muslim leaders of the other Barisan Nasional component parties are openly and falsely accused of being anti-Quran or anti-hadith?
In recent weeks, there have been an escalation of engineered incidents by irresponsible and reckless elements to stoke racial and religious fires by inciting animosities and hatred, like:
• The vitriolic demonstrations by Penang UMNO leaders and supporters in which threats to repeat May 13 were made;
• provocative banners put up in front of churches in Penang without the knowledge of the church authorities;
• Molotov cocktails (fire bombs) thrown into a church compound in Penang;
• the desecration of a mosque with meat believed to be pork in Bukit Mertajam;
• incitement of violence against Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, where a reward of RM1,200 now upped to RM2,000 was offered to anyone who slaps her and records the incident;
• nation-wide furore that Teresa Kok’s “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014” was anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Rulers although there is not one iota of evidence;
• false allegations that Malay Bibles were being distributed to Malay children at the Sekolah Menengah Haji Zainal Abidin in George Town; and
• false allegation by an UMNO Youth Terengganu leader that the Penang state government is planning to ban Friday sermons.
These are not isolated incidents but part of a pattern by extremists and traitors who want to destroy the peace, harmony and solidarity of multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia to achieve their nefarious and treacherous objectives.
The saving factor is that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, are patriots who are not influenced by these extremist and traitors as they only want peace, harmony, progress and prosperity for all Malaysians.
But they must speak up to transform the Silent Majority into an Articulate Majority for peace, harmony, progress and prosperity for the nation and to isolate and reject the extremists and traitors who want to continue to incite racial and religious tensions to create racial chaos and religious conflagration.
The first question the Articulate Majority in Malaysia are entitled to know is whether the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and the Police are with the Articulate Majority and will perform their role to uphold the law and keep the peace by taking immediate and firm measures against extremist and traitors out to destroy racial and religious harmony in Malaysia?
What for instance is the Police doing against those who are making baseless allegations that I am anti-Quran to sow racial hatred and religious disharmony?
(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 22nd February 2014)