Lee Long Hui
Malaysiakini
May 22, 2014
Umno Youth members issued a fiery warning to DAP, threatening to torch the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur if its elected representatives hurled insults again.
Angry shouts of “let’s burn it down” and “kill them” rang out at a protest outside the building when Federal Territory Umno Youth chief Mohd Razlan Mohd Rafii asked if submitting a memorandum was sufficient.
He then warned DAP that the next insult would invite a “catastrophic” response.
“If we only wanted to submit a memorandum, we can e-mail or fax it. Remember what happened today.
“I warn you. If you humiliate our party and race again, we will burn this building down – this building, which has produced many racists,” Razlan thundered.
The protest comes in the wake of Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s condemnation of his wing’s members who stormed the Penang state assembly building on Tuesday.
Umno Youth is seething over DAP Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer’s refusal to apologise over his “celaka Umno” remark.
Rayer was referring to the protest organised by Umno in January where they unfurled a banner stating: ‘Because of DAP’s leaders mouth, May 13, 1969 happened… Want some more?’
Party billboard torn down
At the DAP headquarters this afternoon, witnesses claimed that Razlan and his men also attempted to burn an effigy of Rayer but the rain foiled their plan.
The 50 odd protesters came armed with banners and placards, which among others denounced the state assemblyperson as a “anak haram” (illegitimate child) and an “idiot”.
Whereas another banner read: “Jangan biarkan celaka bertukar menjadi malapetaka” (Don’t let the celaka insult turn into a catastrophe).
The Umno Youth members had also attempted to tear down the DAP headquarters billboard, which featured the party’s Rocket logo but were stopped by the police and staff.
However, one of the protesters later managed to pull it down.
After negotiating with the police, the protesters were allowed to send several representatives, including Razlan, to hand over the memorandum.
They were received by Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming and DAP headquarters head of administration department Chu Yoon Ming.
However, the discussion went awry went Ong criticised the protesters for behaving like hooligans.
Infuriated, Razlan tore the memorandum and threw it at the DAP MP. He then stormed out of the compound.
When it started to rain, the protesters gathered under the overpass next to the DAP headquarters and left went the rain subsided.
Prior to that, they thanked the police for their cooperation. No arrests were made.
Ong: Khairy must apologise
Speaking to the press, Razlan said the memorandum was to warn DAP against humiliating other races again.
“DAP Indian reps criticise Umno Malays, DAP Chinese reps criticise MIC Indians. That is not the way.
“In Malaysia, we need to protect harmony as we are a plural society,” he added.
He said that their action would fuel the spirit of other state Umno Youth chapters to follow suit and was confident that other Malays would rise up as well.
Contacted later, Ong said he supported the right for the group to hold a demonstration in front of the DAP headquarters, but criticised their behaviour.
“I call upon Khairy to apologise,” the DAP MP said.