I welcome the Islamic Consumer Association of Malaysia (PPIM) distancing itself from the offer to “slap” DAP woman MP Teresa Kok at a disgraceful “chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing” demonstration by self-styled “Council of Islamic NGOs” in Kuala Lumpur last Thursday.

PPIM secretary-general Dr Ma’amor Osman has clarified that PPIM was not directly involved in making the initial offer of RM500 for anyone to slap the Seputeh MP over her controversial Chinese New Year satirical video. The offer was later increased to RM1,200.

I fully agree with the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup that the bounty to slap Teresa Kok could only be made by people who are of “unsound mind”.

Dr. Ma’amor’s repudiation of the disgraceful “slap offer” and “chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing” episode shows that sanity is returning to groups who were targeted by dubious but highly irresponsible characters bent on inciting racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension based on lies and falsehoods.

If Malaysia is to succeed as an international model of harmonious and tolerant multi-racial multi-religious and multi-cultural society, there can be no room for such extremists and ultras who had in fact committed a slew of crimes – criminal intimidation, sedition, incitement of violence against a woman, incitement of violence against Member of Parliament, and incitement of racial chaos and religious conflagration, including another May 13 riots.

It is now a full week since the blot of the “slap offer” and “chicken-slaughtering and blood-smearing” demonstration last Thursday.

Why have the police not acted against the 30-odd demonstrators from six NGOs who self-styled themselves as “Council of Islamic NGOs” for a slew of criminal offences which committed last Thursday.

The police and the authorities should realise that Malaysians and the world are waiting and watching as to whether the police will do or fail in their duties as the guardians of law and order in the country.

Dr. Ma’amor’s clarification is all the more welcome as showing that the PPIM secretary-general can still differentiate between right and wrong – which cannot said for all political leaders, even Cabinet Ministers, in the country.

For instance, what excuse could one give for the shocking and outrageous stance of the UMNO National Vice President and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who dismissed the “slap offer” as a threat.

Zahid said there was nothing for the police to investigate as “it is not a threat”, adding: “Slapping is not a threat. If they say murder, then it is a threat.”

Zahid not only cannot differentiate right from wrong, he does not know the law or has only utter contempt for the law although he is the Minister responsible for the police to uphold law and order!

Zahid has yet to answer my question whether, in accordance with his perverse logic, it is lawful and permissible for demonstrations to be held up and down the country offering RM1,200 for anyone to slap the Prime Minister, RM1,300 to slap the Deputy Prime Minister and RM1,500 to slap the Home Minister?

It is really shocking that such craziness about the law of the jungle replacing the rule of law is not confined to the Home Minister, but has support in certain UMNO quarters – as yesterday, the Penang state wanita Umno chief, Senator Norliza Abdul Rahim openly supporting the offering of a bounty to slap Teresa Kok.

There is an UMNO Minister in the Dewan Rakyat and an UMNO Senator in the Dewan Negara who clearly cannot differentiate right from wrong as to open support the law of the jungle instead of civilized conduct in upholding the rule of law.

If senior ministers and legislators publicly demonstrate that they cannot differentiate right from wrong, what type of a bad example are they providing not only to citizens but the young generation of Malaysians in the schools, colleges and universities?

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet meeting today should have repudiated and reprimanded Zahid for embracing the law of the jungle instead of upholding the rule of law in his reaction to the “Council of Islamic NGOs” demonstration last Thursday.

However, I do not expect this to happen as there is no Minister who has the political conviction or moral courage and stature to raise in Cabinet to point out that Zahid had committed a major transgression as a senior Minister which must be remedied immediately and urgently.

Is Zahid prepared to apologise and retract his condoning and absolving of the “Council of Islamic NGOs” resort to the law of the jungle? Do the demonstrators enjoy immunity and impunity for breaches of the law?

Is Zahid forcing the police to comply with his directive not to investigate the slew of crimes committed by the Council of Islamic NGOs last Thursday?

(Media Statement in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 12th February 2014)