SHAH ALAM, July 6 — PAS MP Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Ahmad has accused Umno of trying to cover up its troubles by staging a violent protest against DAP leaders during an event in Johor yesterday.
The Kuala Terengganu MP suggested the Malay ruling party was relying on racial and religious tactics to divert attention from the crisis facing its president Datuk Seri Najib Razak following Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) report last week.
“Racial issue is becoming worse during Ramadan. A lot of people are trying to bring up sensitive issues to stoke the anger of the public. This is unhealthy.
“We cannot do all this things during Ramadan. It is just a diversion from the actual problem,” Kamarul Bahrin told reporters today.
“It was fasting time, but that did not stop them from acting like thugs. We ask Khaled to come up with a statement to explain what happened,” added Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad in the same press conference.
Muslims regard Ramadan as a holy month and are urged to exercise mental restrain apart from abstaining from food and drink during the hours from sun-up to sun-down.
In an exposé Friday, WSJ reported a money trail that directly linked nearly US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) cash deposits from state-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to Najib’s personal bank accounts.
Earlier today, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said DAP adviser and Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang had likely provoked the violence at the party’s talk in Johor yesterday.
Details of the incident remain unclear but eyewitnesses claimed a group of about 50 people threw plastic bowls, cups and a broom at Lim and told the DAP leader to “mampus” (go die).
Johor Umno also denied orchestrating the attack today, claiming instead that the violence that saw cups and bowls flung at several lawmakers was started by members of the community who had grown impatient with the opposition party.
Johor Umno information chief Datuk Samsolbari Jamali was quoted in Sinar Harian Online as claiming that the party’s state liaison body had nothing to do with the incident, and that it does not enjoy provoking others.
National news agency Bernama claimed in its report that the Umno members had done so after Lim criticised Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his speech.
News portal Malaysiakini reported that Lim was unhurt at the Johor DAP “Kopitiam Dialogue” talk and was escorted to safety by event organisers.
