I am astounded by the growing frequency and the increasing number of instances of Umno/Barisan Nasional leaders abandoning principles, scruples and elementary ethics just to score political points with the approach of the 13th general elections.

The closer the approach of the next general elections, and the more uncertain and even more desperate UMNO/BN leaders feel about their electoral prospects in the next general elections, UMNO/BN leaders have shown their preparedness to be even more unscrupulous, unprincipled and unethical than in the past in their attempt to remain in power.

Yesterday for instance Umno vice president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal was caught red-handed telling a bare-faced lie when he said in Kota Belud that UMNO does not use religion for its political interests.

How could Shafie make such a preposterous claim when it could be so easily debunked by UMNO and Utusan Malaysia’s irresponsible, seditious and anti-national “Haram Sokong DAP” campaign in the past six days?

Is Shafie denying that the Umno/Utusan “Haram Sokong DAP” campaign is the most recent and blatant example of UMNO misusing religion for its political interests, completely heedless and reckless of the its pernicious consequences of fanning racial and religious illwill and undermining national unity in plural Malaysia?

Or is Shafie claiming ignorance about the irresponsible, seditious and anti-national “Haram Sokong DAP” campaign carried out by Utusan Malaysia in the past six days?

I am still intrigued as to how the UMNO/Utusan strategists and propagandists could conceive the “Haram Sokong DAP” campaign for two reasons:

Firstly, why “Haram Sokong DAP” does not arise in the past 45 years of the DAP’s political history, but suddenly it is now “Haram Sokong DAP” when down the decades, the DAP has been consistent in its stand that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion? Is this an admission that UMNO is losing out in the open battle of ideas and has to resort to the politics of lies and fear to secure voter support?

Secondly, is the ground being prepared for UMNO extremists to attack or repudiate the legacy of the first three Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein as the DAP’s stand that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion is the same as those of the first three Prime Ministers?

On becoming Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has preached the concept of Wasatiyah or the moderate approach to Islam, even setting up the Institut Wasatiyah.

Najib should explain whether the Utusan’s “Haram Sokong DAP” is in line with his Wasatiyah concept or otherwise, and if the latter, what is he doing to stop the Utusan’s irresponsible, seditious and anti-national campaign.