Lim Kit Siang

The reasons why Ibrahim Ali is untouchable

Malaysiakini
May 17, 11

The fact that the current government is powerless against Utusan and Perkasa implies that they are actually the one behind it.’

Church leaders: Act now against ‘crusading’ Ibrahim

Cannon: Perkasa is breaking the law with impunity. It is committing sedition and the authorities are overlooking this lawlessness. The BN must take action to stop this dangerous nonsense before the situation gets out of control.

It’s sheer hypocrisy on the part of PM Najib Razak to advocate moderation in Cambridge while his own ruling party is sowing discord and hatred through Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia, inciting violence against Christians.

The sandiwara and non-action by home minister should be roundly condemned by all Malaysians. Failing or delaying to act, the government is to be held responsible for any outbreak of violence against Christians.

Petestop: The fact that the current government is powerless against Utusan and Perkasa implies that they are actually the one behind it. So, it is out in the open for all to see who is the extremist – it is actually the BN government.

Do MCA, Gerakan and MIC still wonder why they are losing votes? They are too thick-headed to understand that we are voting against Umno. PAS by comparison is such a civil political party, willing to engage non-Muslims in a constructive manner and shown to be able to be fair to all races.

Therefore, using PAS as the bogeyman will never work. That is why they have to choose a new bogeyman, and unfortunately it is the peace-loving Christians.

Roberts: Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali should hold a crusade against corruption so that the nation’s money would not be looted and plundered.

The money saved can go into building better schools, hospitals and other facilities for poor rural Malays. Ibrahim, there are schools without electricity, overcrowded classrooms and without proper facilities.

Have a crusade against better law enforcement too so that people can go to sleep in peace without fearing loss of property, lives and limbs. Money saved can built better highways to reduce carnage on roads.

Crusade against cronyism, crusade against rising prices and crusade against injustices to the poor. Crusade to prevent abuses of NEP to see that benefits trickle down to poor kampong Malays. And crusade against social ills that sees too many teenage pregnancies.

Tmf: Is it still unclear if there are elements in the power of the day wanting our beloved land to burn?

David Dass: What is the effect of Ibrahim Ali’s vituperation and hate? What is his objective in spewing so much hate and bile? What does he hope to achieve? And exactly what has he succeeded in doing?

He has certainly succeeded in creating tension, fear and anxiety. Not the fear that the majority of Muslims will be stirred to riot by his fiery rhetoric. But by the possibility that there will always exist in society a lunatic fringe who will find in his drivel something that will trigger in them a desire to strike out and do harm.

And that is the reason why so many demand that Ibrahim Ali and the Utusan be stopped and punished. It is not a demand for punishment for punishment’s sake. It is not out of a desire for revenge. But the point must be made that the government does not condone violence or threats of violence. That the government does not condone the publication of falsehoods as fact.

Playing poker or brinkmanship with the fate of a nation is downright irresponsible. You do not know where the edge of the cliff is. Stoking the fires of religious hatred is madness. It just takes a few demented individuals to light the fuse.

Sorry about the mixed metaphors. Ibrahim Ali should be contained. Government leaders cannot appear to be afraid of him. He cannot talk of crusades and the shedding of blood with impunity.

There is no Christian conspiracy to establish a Christian state and install a Christian prime minister in Malaysia. It was a ridiculous allegation and from what we gather stemmed from complete ignorance with the way some Christians pray – they raise their hands whilst they invoke the blessings of Almighty God.

Ibrahim Ali should find himself a real enemy and not take us to the brink with his madness and foolishness.

Samuel Ng: If Ibrahim Ali is not arrested and charged for inciting violence, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and the BN government must be really sick to the core. Thank God for the majority of peace-loving Malaysians who are not so easily manipulated by race and religion.

Paul Warren: The Christians show a complete lack of understanding here. The government knows what it is doing. And I support the government’s actions to date.

Have not the Christians heard of that one attribute that the Malays have that the non-Malays don’t? Running amok? Burning of Christian churches was not going to get any Christians run amok as this is not one of their attributes. Therefore, the government response was proportionate to that.

Ibrahim Ali on the other hand is only reminding the Christians of what he is capable of. And I believe him. After all, isn’t running amok part of his DNA? Would not that then mean that taking any kind of action against him have the potential of triggering wholesale running amok among his supporters?

A Voter: This is no longer a religious or political issue. As Ibrahim Ali, Perkasa and Utusan continue with this tirade against Malaysians, it has become a national security issue. The prime minister, if he is truly a leader for all Malaysians, must make his stand clear and not remain silent or ambiguous.

Kee Thuan Chye: Hishammuddin doesn’t have to brand Ibrahim Ali an “extremist”, but he does not absolve Ibrahim from having committed sedition by giving the excuse that Ibrahim does not represent the majority of Malay-Muslims.

This is the crux of the matter. Don’t worry about the “extremist” label, concentrate on the fact that Ibrahim said something seditious. And got away with it. Concentrate on demanding that action be taken against Ibrahim. Because to call for a crusade against any religious group in this country is tantamount to sedition.

Changeagent: The government’s inaction against the hatemonger Ibrahim Ali thus far speaks volumes of their insidious intentions to create hatred between Muslims and Christians. There is no point in calling on the authorities to act on the Perkasa chief, for they have been in cohorts since day one.

The only option available to Christians to resolve this issue is through prayer. It sounds desperate, but the situation has become that dire and dangerous.

Docs: Hishammuddin can’t open his mouth at the moment to reprimand crusading Ibrahim as he has his foot in it.

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