KAJANG, March 2 — Repeatedly accused of being extremists, DAP leaders said today the question will be laid to rest by Kajang voters in the March 23 by-election.
The opposition party’s parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang noted the authorities have yet to condemn the racial attacks against the DAP and urged voters to take a stand against extremism by supporting political ally PKR’s candidate, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“We want to save Malaysia from these irresponsible people,” said Lim in a speech at the opening of DAP’s operation centre here, but without naming the culprits.
In its Awang Selamat column today, the editors of Malay broadsheet Utusan Malaysia branded the DAP the country’s “most racist party” and listed Teresa Kok’s satirical Chinese New Year video as among examples of “extreme provocation”.
Lim reiterated that his party was not extremist as alleged by its critics.
“Was that Onederful Malaysia video anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-royalty? Absolutely not,” the Gelang Patah MP said, referring to Kok’s contentious video.
Kok, who was also at the opening, told a press conference later that she would not heed the calls by some Muslim groups to apologise over her video.
“I reiterate that I will not apologise for my video because I did not touch on race, religion, the royalty, Lahad Datu incident, or our security forces,” said the Seputeh MP.
The former Selangor DAP chief invited critics to watch the video before judging it and said that she has added Malay subtitles.
PKR de facto chief Anwar, considered the frontrunner in the Kajang race, is set to face off against MCA’s Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun and independent Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in the March 23 contest for the Selangor suburban state seat.
