KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Inaction over an Umno leader’s remarks against the Chinese community during the party’s annual assembly last week has prompted a DAP lawmaker to recall Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s oath to pursue cases of provocation “immediately”.
Pointing out that over three days have elapsed since Umno Permatang Pauh division chief Datuk Mohd Zaidi Said drew outrage with his claim that the Chinese in Penang bought political clout using illicit gains, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang today reminded the minister of his previous pledge for prompt action.
“More than two months ago, at an Umno Lumut function, Zahid swore: ‘As the minister responsible for the Royal Malaysian Police, wallahi billahi tallahi (I swear to Allah) that if police reports are lodged against any individual who impinged on a sensitive issue, the police will start investigations immediately, if possible within 24 hours.’
“Why then the silence and inaction by the police to the numerous police reports which had been lodged against Mohd Zaidi and Mashitah for sedition and other crimes of hate speech in the past few days – well exceeding the 24-hour deadline in Zahid’s public oath?” Lim asked today.
Other than the controversy over Zaidi’s speech, Wanita Umno Baling chief Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim repeated the previously-debunked claim that a Chinese person had burned a copy of the Quran in Kedah and urged delegates to speak up.
Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir was quoted by national news agency Bernama as saying previously that a police investigation found that the Quran was not burned, but torn by a man certified insane and now held in the psychiatric ward of Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.
Zaidi yesterday also sought to deflect criticism over his speech by saying he meant only some ethnic Chinese profited from vices such as illegal gambling and prostitution, and that his speech was misreported.
He stressed that he used the word “sometimes” (kadang-kadang), which he claimed meant only “portions” (segelintir) of the Chinese became rich from illegal gambling and vice activities.
Today, Lim pointed out that the speeches of both Zaidi and Mashitah were freely available on video-sharing site YouTube, labelling the two clips as “must-watch” items that demonstrate the pressing need to isolate the extremism in the country.
“I want to know whether the police are waiting for Zahid’s ‘green light’ as home minister before they dare to investigate the reports of sedition and other hate crimes committed by Mohd Zaidi and Mashitah...” Lim asked
He pointed out that the videos on YouTube showed that Zaidi and Mashitah made their remarks in the presence of the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, Zahid himself as well as other Umno ministers and leaders.
Lim today also urged all Malaysian to speak out against hate speeches such as those made by the two Umno leaders, saying it was needed to drown out the extremism and provocation that emanated from the party’s annual assembly last week.
The DAP leader said Malaysians want a Malaysia without “Chinese-bashing, Malay-bashing, Indian-bashing, Kadazan-bashing or Iban-bashing at the Umno General Assembly or of any general meeting of any political party.”
