KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — In a symbolic display of unity, leaders of the multi-racial opposition pact Pakatan Harapan today visited Petaling Street where an anti-Chinese rally was initially scheduled to take place, and called on Malaysians to unite against what it alleged was state-backed racism.
The rally, which an Umno leader warned earlier this week could possibly escalate into a riot, was called off at the eleventh hour but Pakatan Harapan leaders said their presence at the area known as Chinatown was meant to send a clear message that there are Malaysians who will stand up against any effort to divide the country with communal politics.
“I am here not only to support the traders, but I come here to show that this is place that belongs to all Malaysians.
“Whatever form of racism is symptomatic of the jahiliyah (ignorant) people and as a Muslim we must stand up for unity and fight any divisive elements,” PKR vice-president and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar told a press conference here.
Nurul Izzah was flanked by several other opposition leaders, including the DAP's Lim Kit Siang and national laureate Datuk A Samad Said.
“This togetherness here is important to send a strong signal that we Malaysians reject any attempt to incite and divide, which received the endorsement and support of this government,” she added.
Earlier this week, #Merah 169 spokesman Datuk Jamal Md Yunos had warned that the authorities’ failure to take action against Petaling Street traders for allegedly selling counterfeit goods will inevitably force “red shirt” protesters to return there today and possibly “riot”.
Last week, some 2,000 participants of the pro-Malay #Merah169 rally had tried break a police barricade around Petaling Street, a tourist hotspot dominated by Chinese traders that the group described as a symbol of alleged Chinese chauvinism.
Samad said today he does not see Petaling Street as a “Chinese place” and recalled how he used to walk by and shop in the area, which had in the past inspired some of his writings.
“This is a place of history, culture and food so any attempt to desecrate it with elements of racism must be opposed,” said the soft-spoken writer and now a member of Chinese-majority DAP.
He also accused Jamal and the “red-shirters” of attempting to score political mileage by stirring racial sentiment to rally support for the Najib administration by targeting Petaling Street.
Lim echoed the view and said the #Merah169 rally was nothing more than a diversion from the many crises plaguing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s government.
“They are playing the racial card in a bid to strengthen Najib’s rule. That is all”.
The Gelang Patah MP noted that Putrajaya’s diversion tactic was evident with leaders allegedly painting the August pro-reform Bersih 4 rally as a Chinese and DAP initiative, which he called “utter nonsense”.
Najib is facing mounting pressure to quit over his alleged involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd financial fiasco, which is now under investigation by several international agencies, including the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation.
