GEORGE TOWN, Nov 28 — Banners depicting three Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and former Malayan Communist Party leader Chin Peng were spotted in Tasek Gelugor, Penang today, alarming several groups into filing police complaints.
One banner had a Malay headline reading “Perajurit Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM)” and bore images of its former secretary-general together with the words “saya yakin penuh bahawa api perjuangan demi keadilan social & perikemanusian tidak akan padam” [translation: “I am confident the fire of the struggle for social justice & humanity will never go out”].
The faces of three PR leaders: PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu, PKR’s Dr Afif Bahardin who is also Penang state executive councillor, and former Penang PKR youth chief Amir Ghazali, were also featured.
The banners announced a dinner event on November 29 at the Chai Leng Park Community Hall in Seberang Jaya.
When contacted, Dr Afif expressed surprise and denied he or any PR leader was involved in the dinner event advertised on the banner.
He hoped the police will investigate this to find the perpetrators behind the false banners.
Afif’s aide, Fathilullail Jaafar Sidek, who noticed the banners last night had already lodged a police report yesterday.
Today, members from several Malay rights groups including Penang Perkasa and Perkida lodged 11 police reports against those behind the event that they labelled as a pro-communist dinner event.
Jelutong Perkasa Youth Azdi Mohd Arshad said such banners will confuse the public into accepting the communism ideology, especially with pictures of PR leaders on it too.
“It is not clear who is the organiser of the event and how they obtained approval for the event in a public place, but we hope the police will investigate and put a stop to it,” he said after lodging the police report today.
A check with the Chai Leng Park community hall committee also showed that the hall was not booked for any event on November 29.
Chin Peng, born Ong Boon Hua, was a much feared communist leader. He died in exile on September 16 last year.
