KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 — Comparisons of the Umno-PAS alliance to the ultra-conservative Taliban faction from Afghanistan were justified as the former group was promoting hateful politics, said two Pakatan Harapan leaders.
Amanah vice president Khalid Samad pointed out that the two Opposition parties kept telling the Malays that they were under threat from other local communities.
“If they use this stance, it is not wrong if non-Muslims were to assume it is a coalition that is based on hate towards the non-Muslims,” he said in the Parliament building today.
DAP leaders such as Lim Guan Eng and Datuk Nga Kor Ming voiced concern over the mono-ethnic partnership between PAS and Umno, with the latter making the Taliban comparison last week.
Today, Khalid said such concern was natural and explained this was why his party avoided such messaging.
“We do not put any effort in planting hate or hostility or any form of fear towards any group, that is just not our style,” he said.
Separately, Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen said a political partnership based on bigotry was not only a threat to PH, but the entire country.
He alleged that such tactics had been visible in the two by-elections won by Barisan Nasional when Umno and PAS were cooperating to woo the Malay vote.
Chong further warned that should such rhetoric not be neutralised now, it was likely to intensify as the country gets closer to the next general election.
“This is why the country is under threat, and I regret that MIC and MCA are going along with them,” said Chong.
Umno leaders previously demanded Nga apologise for likening their new partnership to the Taliban.
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan is synonymous with extreme religious conservatism and violence.
