KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — DAP's Lim Guan Eng has today expressed his disappointment that no police action has been taken against Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang despite multiple police reports against the latter's most recent racist remark.
The DAP national chairman also pointed out that no Cabinet members have spoken out against the Islamist party PAS president, which Lim said went against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's "Keluarga Malaysia" or Malaysian Family rhetoric.
"Not just Cabinet but no single minister, including the prime minister, has upheld Keluarga Malaysia by repudiating Abdul Hadi for his baseless, divisive, racist and extremist branding of non-Muslims and non-Bumis.
"A multitude of police reports have already been lodged throughout the country against Hadi seeking stern action for Hadi’s inflammatory and unsubstantiated remarks that have angered many Malaysians, particularly non-Muslims and non-Bumis.
"When will the police act?" Lim asked in a statement here.
Abdul Hadi, who was appointed as Malaysia's special envoy to the Middle East, accused non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera of making up the bulk of what he called as "roots of corruption" — those who chase illicit gains — to the detriment of the country's economy and politics.
He did not provide any elaboration or justification behind his racial claims.
Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Malaysia and MPs from both sides of the political divide have since slammed the Marang MP for his comments.
Lim said the silence from Ismail Sabri's non-Muslim and non-Bumiputra Cabinet members has disappointed the public calling out ministers from MCA, MIC, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) members for continuing to work with PAS for the upcoming elections.
"Previously Abdul Hadi had stated that non-Muslims have no right to take up important ministerial posts in the Cabinet, such as the finance minister and yet MCA, MIC, GPS and GRS continue to work with and support PAS and their ministers in the federal government.
"The non-Muslim ministers’ continued silence makes them equally responsible for the racism and extremism by PAS, particularly when PAS has now gone further in wanting to ban concerts, Oktoberfest and Bon Odori," he added.
Last week, DAP’s legal bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh said the attorney-general should take immediate action against Abdul Hadi by charging the latter under either Sections 298A or 504 of the Penal Code or both to uphold the rule of law.
