By Susan Loone | May 20, 11 Malaysiakini
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has slammed certain quarters for miscontruing his Wesak Day message as an attempt to incite non-Muslims to anger against Muslims.
Lim, who is DAP national secretary-general, said he was perturbed that a message which contained elements of peace and harmony could be condemned. On the other hand, a message that was full of hatred, like Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali’s recent ‘crusade against Christians’ outburst could be allowed, he added.
Lim denied that there were objections towards his Wesak Day message and speech delivered during a Malaysian Buddhist Association event in Penang on Tuesday.
He added that he merely asked everyone of a religious persuasion to stand together in peace and harmony as they could be the next target of Umno-owned Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia’s misreporting.
Lim was also quick to add that he also wanted the Muslims to come together to stand against extremism.
“If even that is wrong… then something must be very wrong,” Lim told reporters after chairing a meeting with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism in Komtar today.
“People talking about having a crusade (against Christians) is not wrong but talking about peace and harmony is wrong?” he queried.
‘No one objected to it’
He stressed that his speech was in two languages – English and Mandarin – and none of the participants, who were Buddhists, had rejected it or voiced out their discontent over the message.
“Why don’t you ask the Buddhists who were present that day? Even an MCA leader and organising chairman of the event, Loh Hock Aun, was present at the event.
“They were happy and I was told it was a good speech,” he said.
“The master of ceremonies (MC) asked everyone to clap, and then they shook my hand and no one objected to it,” he added.
Lim was referring to a recent police report lodged against him by Gerakan Youth vice-chief H’ng Khoon Leng, who accused the former of inciting Buddhists and Hindus.
H’ng was then referring to Lim’s Wesak Day message which stated, among others: “Even though Christians, and not Buddhists, are targeted by Umno and Utusan Malaysia this time, what is there to stop Buddhists and Hindus from being the next targets in the future?”
H’ng demanded police action against Lim, although the latter has yet to be questioned by the force.
Lim’s message was based on the recent brouhaha over a May 7 front-page report in Utusan which alleged that DAP was colluding with a group of pastors in Penang to install a Christian prime minister and set up a Christian state.
The report angered Muslims groups, especially Perkasa, whose chief Ibrahim Ali threatened to launch a crusade against Christians who, he said, dared to usurp the position of Islam in the country.
Moving on to the now refuted and much-condemned Utusan report, Lim said that newspapers must uphold a certain standard of reporting the truth.
Freedom of speech, he added, should not give one the freedom to lie.
“If freedom of speech means one can call for a crusade or lie, something must be wrong there,” he quipped.