By Thomas Lee

The live M-16 bullet that was sent together with a threatening note to DAP national publicity chief Tony Pua yesterday (Wednesday 11 August 2010) is not simply a cowardly intimidation against the Petaling Jaya Utara MP, but a dastardly dangerous threat to the whole peace-loving citizenry of the country.

The bullet and the note were mailed to Tony’s service centre in Damansara Utama in Petaling on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 August 2010.

The note said: “Tony Pua Kiam Wee. You are so brave? What do you want now? You better watch out. We know about your family, your house, your office, your car.”

One of the MP’s assistants has lodged a report at the Damansara police station. Tony also gave a statement to the police on the matter.

Tony told a press conference later that the threat was possibly related to his suggestion to the Selangor state government to do away with bumiputera discounts for luxury homes costing over RM500,000 each and for upmarket commercial property in the state, to improve competitiveness and restore investor confidence.

Tony said this at a forum on the Selangor economy last month, but he also said that the 7% discounts enjoyed by Malays and other bumiputeras should be retained for homes costing below RM500,000 each.

The evil death threat against Tony is not the first received by DAP leaders in recent time. In 2008, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh received a 9mm live bullet and a threatening note at his office. The then DAP national publicity chief Teresa Kok’s family home was also attacked in 2008 with petrol bomb. The petrol bomb did not explode, but an accompanying note warned the Selangor senior state executive councillor that she and her family would be burnt to death.

Such despicable cowardly actions are done by people who are obviously evil, malicious, malevolent, demented, and perhaps even mad.

It is even possible that these violent and dangerous maniacs are used by unprincipled and unscrupulous political rivals of the DAP to daunt, discourage and dishearten its leaders, and to sabotage and destabilize the party by creating fear, uncertainty and incertitude among its members and supporters. This is surely very plausible and possible, in view of growing influence and impact of the DAP among the people, including even the Malays.

It surely is a very sad day for our country that, instead of growing towards a more civilized stage of socio-political, cultural, and moral development to become a more advanced civilized society, we have people adopting, expounding and promoting a barbarous culture of racialist and violent politics in our midst.

Tony, for example, was apparently threatened because he had suggested the abrogation of discounts for luxury houses costing more than RM500,000 for bumiputeras.

Note that Tony does not advocate the abolition of special rights and priviledges of the bumiputeras or the annulment of the affirmative policies and programmes for them when he suggested that discounts for luxury homes costing more than half a million ringgit each be rescinded in favour of spreading the subvention on the basis of basic economic needs, rather than a blanket subsidy discount grant which could be abused by the rich and powerful.

Any sensible and honest person would agree that those who could afford luxury homes costing more than half a million ringgit would certainly not be dire need for financial assistance.

In an egalitarian society like our, where the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities, it is certainly right and proper to have affirmative policies and programmes to assist those in our midst who may be disadvantaged by reasons of historical circumstance and economic deprivation.

No one, including Tony, I am sure, would disagree on this. And the non-bumiputera citizens of this country have never questioned or challlenged Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which provides for the protection of the special position of the bumiputeras.

However, when certain members of the disadvantaged group become rich and powerful, then it is their duty and privilege to offer assistance to those in their community who have yet to achieve the quality of life and lifestye that they are now enjoying. They should not join in competing for the subsidy discounts, but should instead allow the discounts to be used to benefit those less fortunate than them.

Tony is not wrong per se to make his suggestion, and his proposal does not invalidate or vitiates the affirmative policies and programmes the federal government has formulated and implemented to uplift the quality of life and lifestyle of the general bumiputera community.

The sending of the live M-16 bullet to threaten Tony and his family members is certainly a dastardly act which should be condemned by all right-thinking and peace-loving people of Malaysia.

Any decent and decorous person with basic moral principles will not simply tolerate and condone such lunatic behaviours and actions, and it is time we stand up visibly and vocally to demand that the authorities concerned should view such threats very seriously and spare no effort in bringing the culprits to justice.

I trust our police will act without fear or favour to bring the culprit to book, even if he happens to be a powerful politician or works for one.