KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — Penang Pakatan Rakyat (PR) accused Umno today of stoking racial tension when their protesters raised the May 13 bogeyman in their protest yesterday over the “kangkung” debacle.

In a statement here, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said police reports will be lodged against the state Umno liaison body for allegedly threatening another bloody racial riot, adding that their actions were tantamount to an admission that their party leaders had been at fault for the May 13 tragedy.

“The state government has no problem with Umno’s public demonstration against anyone as long as it is peaceful,” the DAP secretary-general said.

“We wish to remind the police to permit similar peaceful demonstrations by PR in future.”

But, Lim added, the Umno-organised event at Seberang Jaya in Penang yesterday had “quickly turned racial” when protesters appeared to target top leaders in the DAP.

He noted that this was despite the fact that the gathering was initially organised to protest the kangkung-themed flash mob by PKR’s Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon.

“Is DAP an easier and softer target for Umno because we are Chinese unlike PKR top leaders like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who are Malays?” Lim asked.

Umno had accused Lee of insulting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with the flash mob, and had organised the rally to protest the lawmaker’s actions.

The prime minister has come under fire for using “kangkung” as an analogy to describe the escalating prices of goods.

Umno’s rally, said to be attended by some 700 people, was attended by Umno supreme council member and Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Perkasa Penang leaders.

According to Malaysiakini, protesters carried with them a banner that read, “Because of DAP’s leaders’ mouth, May 13, 1969 happened... Want some more?”

“Police reports against top Penang Umno leaders for threatening public peace and harmony as well as seditious remarks will be made, not in the expectation of any action by the Attorney-General Chambers, but to send a strong signal that neither the Penang state government and DAP nor the people will bow down to Umno’s threats.

“Not just DAP but Chinese, Indian, Malay, Kadazans and Ibans do not want a May 13 Incident, only Umno is issuing such threats to play with the fires of racial and religious hatred to run away from their responsibility for price hikes,” Lim said.

In a separate statement today, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong and Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari said they lodged a report at the Pattani Road police station in Penang on the incident.