Author mooting killing ‘Malay traitors’ not our founder, says ex-servicemen’s group

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) today distanced its group from controversial author Helmi Effendy who founded a website with the same name sparked uproar after calling for a purge of Malay liberals, whom he denounced as “traitors” of the race.

The group of retired servicemen also urged the authorities to investigate the controversial post said to have been uploaded by Helmi, the founder of conservative portal The Patriots and its book publishing wing The Patriots Publication.

“We wish to categorically state that Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) has nothing to do with books authored by Helmi Effendy who claimed to be the founder of Patriots, and owner of the portal, The Patriots. Helmi Effendy is neither a member of Patriot nor have we been associated with him in any of his works.

“Anyone who calls for the killing of ‘Malay traitors’ and propagates violence towards Malays and non-Malays is a very dangerous person,” its president Brigadier-General (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said in a statement today.

Arshad said his association had been flooded with questions from members of the public confused by the same name shared by both groups, following news reports of Helmi’s provocative remarks.

He also reiterated its call for the police and National Security Council to maintain vigilance against terrorism threats, adding that strict measures and zero tolerance to such threats is the best way to maintain peace in the country.

In a statement on Twitter yesterday, local bookstore and publishing house Buku Fixi said it is stopping all sales of books written by Helmi.

Buku Fixi said it supports the freedom of expression but not death threats against others.

The measures were supposedly taken after political analyst Ooi Kok Hin highlighted a tweet by a Mikhail Hafiz who posted a screenshot of Helmi voicing his hope that the Night of the Broken Glass and Night of the Long Knife would become a reality in Malaysia dating back to July 2018.

In that tweet, Helmi had condemned Education Minister Maszlee Malik for considering government recognition of the Chinese-based UEC school-leaving certificate, before making the inflammatory remark.