KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Two DAP leaders today challenged Khairy Jamaluddin to expel the Umno Youth members involved in two aggressive protests this week to demonstrate that his movement does not condone violence.
DAP disciplinary committee chairman Tan Kok Wai and Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming also demanded the Umno Youth chief apologise for his men’s protest outside the DAP office here yesterday and an intrusion into the Penang state assembly on Wednesday.
“(To) show you are not part of the Umno Youth hooliganism and do not condone the actions of these members, Umno Youth should call for the immediate sacking of the members involved and urge that they be prosecuted,” Tan told a press conference here.
Ong accused Khairy of only criticising the protests on Twitter and demanded that he accept responsibility for both events.
“This is very unbecoming of him and we urge him strongly to apologise and take responsibility,” Ong told the same press briefing.
Khairy had said soon after the intrusion into the Penang state legislative assembly that it was wrong, but the youth and sports minister has yet to publicly censure his members for the protest here yesterday.
The Umno Youth chief also did not say if he will take action against those involved.
Yesterday, a group of about 50 members from the local chapter of Umno Youth reportedly demonstrated in front of the DAP headquarters here over remarks made by DAP’s Seri Delima representative, RSN Rayer, in Penang.
When debating the Governor’s speech on Tuesday, Rayer uttered the words “celaka Umno” (damn Umno), triggering outrage among the party’s lawmakers.
On Wednesday, some Umno members trespassed into the Penang state assembly while it was in session, demanding an apology from Rayer but left frustrated.
During yesterday’s protest here, the group of 50 threatened to burn down the DAP headquarters and was reported to have vandalised property belonging to the party.
Tan revealed that the police had informed them that action will be taken against the protesters yesterday and that they will be charged for criminal intimidation, unruly assembly and mischief.
But the Cheras MP demanded the police explain why arrests were not made immediately yesterday despite having witnessed the aggression.
“While the police say they would make the arrest, we want to know why was there no arrests made yesterday itself when the threats of arson was clearly made?” He said.
Tan said that police were quick to arrest opposition leaders or dissenters involved in peaceful protests against the government, but slow to respond when it comes to incidents involving Umno.
He added that the police must act sternly to disprove claims of bias.
“You (the police) have to prove that you are not serving the interests of Umno but to serve the interests of the people”.
Meanwhile, DAP Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said the party will not be cowed by the aggression and called on the Attorney General to punish the perpetrators.
He said the two incidents are not the first time Umno Youth have used violent threats against its critics, arguing that they have become emboldened by the lack of action from the authorities.
“This is the time for the Attorney General to show courage to act. The reasons why such incidents have recurred again and again is because the AG has not taken any action,” he said.
