DAP condemns the politics and mentality of kafir against a Malacca State Exco Member, Datuk Lim Ban Hong , who was referred to as a “kafir” (infidel) in a WhatsApp message on Sunday over his visit to a multi-purpose hall near a mosque in Bukit Rambai, Malacca to hand over Hari Raya goodies.

The Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron had said that it was “uncivilised and uncouth” to label a person as an infidel when Lim was doing a noble deed by providing goodies to the underprivileged.

Extremism of whatever form must not be allowed to rear their ugly heads in plural Malaysia or the strength of Malaysia’s diversity of races, religions, languages and cultures would become our fatal weaknesses to divide and tear the nation asunder.

This is particularly important especially as extremist forces in our society are seeking to establish a beach-head in our society.

It has been reported that the terrorist group, Islamic State (IS) is seeking new ground with the set-up of Islamic State of East Asia covering Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar and Japan, as the terrorist group is squeezed out of Iraq and suffering losses in Syria.

For quite some time, terrorism experts have warned of increasing Malaysian presence and participation in Islamic State terrorist activities, especially the month-long battle for the city of Marawi on Mindanao island in the southern Philippines.

Malaysia does not want to see the senseless bombings and killings in London, Manchester, Paris, Jakarta, Philippines and Teheran happen in Malaysia, and this is why all moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, must strengthen national resilience, goodwill and solidarity in plural Malaysia by taking an uncompromising stand against all forms of intolerance, extremism and fanaticism in Malaysia.

Recent incidents of intolerance, extremism and intolerance would include the politics and mentality of kafir, the demand that non-Muslims should not participate in breaking-of-fast events; the thuggish incident in Kluang where the DAP MP for the area, Liew Chin Tong, was roughed up during his visit of goodwill and solidarity to the Kluang Bazaar Ramadan; the escalation of the politics of lies, falsehoods, hate, bigotry and intolerance; and most recently, the shocking statement by the UMNO Information Chief Datuk Annuar Musa that US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic action to forfeit US$1.7 billion of 1MDB-linked assets as a result of an international 1MDB money-laundering scandal was “part of a conspiracy to meddle in Malaysia’s affairs because the country had a Muslim-led government”.

Malaysia must set an example of moderation to the world – but we must not preach the wasatiyyah principles of the moderation, justice, balance and excellence in international platforms but fail to spread the same message among our people in the country.

An example of the extremist and intolerant mindset in plural Malaysia was the classification of non-Muslim Malaysians as “kafir harbi” who could be slain by the Pahang State Mufti, Datuk Seri Dr. Abdul Rahman Osman last year.

Malaysia can only survive and prosper as an united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and prosperous nation if Malaysians develop a zero tolerance for extremism or fanaticism of whatever form.

(Media Statement after visiting Bazaar Ramadan in Kulai on Thursday, 22nd June 2017 at 6.30 pm)