By Melissa Chi May 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
SUNGAI BESAR, May 15 — UMNO Vice President Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (picture) said today that Perkasa President Datuk Ibrahim Ali does not represent all the Malays in the country.
“I don’t think Ibrahim Ali represents all the Malays or all the Muslims. Same as Osama bin Laden, he doesn’t represent all the Muslims. There are extremists, I’m not saying Ibrahim Ali is an extremist, please don’t quote me wrongly but I’m saying that there are different levels of understanding. so let the public decide who they want to represent (them),” he said, adding that there are extremists in the Chinese community as well.
Despite police still investigating unsubstantiated reports of a move to a Christian Malaysia, the Malay rights group president threatened Christians nationwide last night that he would wage a crusade or holy war should they proceed with their agenda to usurp Islam.
The pint-sized Pasir Mas MP said that he was willing to take the fall for his statement for the sake of defending the dignity of Islam.
He also said his blood was boiling with rage and “hairs standing on end” following recent reports of a Christian conspiracy between religious leaders and opposition party politicians.
When asked if the controversial leader’s statements on racial and religious issues could have consequences as he is considered as an influential figure among the Malay community, the Home Minister said that Ibrahim is only influential if “you all” make him out to be influential.
“He can have one (holy war) but he would have to have one that is really affecting everybody, he will have to have the majority with him so you are all responsible, the fact is that if you don’t highlight the sensitivities and emotions.
“And that’s why Datuk Seri Najib said to stop … when he saw this coming in Penang, he said enough. Give it time for the temperature to go down,” he said.
“It is also the responsibility of the media to make sure the temperature goes down so that we can move forward but there are others who are going to fan the sentiments of hate and divide,” Hishammuddin said.
Ibrahim was referring to the recent row over a controversial newspaper report in Utusan Malaysia entitled “Kristian Agam Rasmi?” (Christianity the official religion?) where it was alleged that DAP leaders and Christian priests were conspiring to take over Putrajaya, abolish Islam as the religion of the federation and install a Christian prime minister.
Christian leaders and DAP members have denied the reports and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was even forced to host a meeting with the religious chiefs to solve the issue but Ibrahim insisted last night that the report was true.
For one, he pointed out that a Muslim DAP member had also lodged a report on Friday claiming to know the true story of what transpired during the meeting at a hotel in Penang recently.
Utusan Malaysia’s Christian conspiracy report is presently under police investigation.