The Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim must take firm action against heightened racial and religious incitement, and polarisation in the country to preserve and protect inter-racial and inter-religious relations, harmony, and peace in plural Malaysia.
I have wondered why DAP had been attacked for being anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, communist, and after the General Election for promoting Islamophobia, when these allegations are totally false and untrue, and the maker of these allegations have not been able to present any iota of evidence to substantiate them.
The PAS President, Hadi Awang, accused the DAP of promoting Islamophobia, last November but for four long months, he had not been able to offer any evidence to substantiate his preposterous accusation.
The fact that Hadi is no stranger to baseless allegations is no absolution for Hadi to tell lies, falsehoods, and fake news.
For instance, Hadi had made the equally preposterous claim that the Malay voter turnout in the 15th General Election was as low as 60 per cent because Muslims went to Mecca to perform the umrah, while non-Malay voter turnout was as high as 95 per cent.
These charges are not backed up by statistics released by the Election Commission on voting patterns for the 15th General Election,
Furthermore, Malays who went to umrah and did not vote in the 15th General Election was probably less than 10,000, a figure which would not have affected Hadi’s victory in the Marang constituency in Terengganu. Hadi’s parliamentary majority in the 15th General Election was 41,729 votes.
Why did Hadi accuse the DAP of being anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, communist, and promoting Islamophobia?
The answer lies in the fact that DAP was not anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, communist, and promoting Islamophobia, as the DAP speaks for all races and religions in plural Malaysia.
How can the DAP be anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, communist, and promoting Islamophobia when the DAP National Chairman, Lim Guan Eng lost his parliamentary position as MP for Kota Melaka and went to jail for defending the dignity and morality of an underaged Malay girl?
But Hadi wants the DAP to be anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, communist, and promote Islamophobia, but these attitudes are totally against the DAP’s political principles and beliefs to represent all Malaysians.
Anwar must protect inter-racial and inter-religious relations, harmony and peace from irresponsible and opportunistic political leaders who are prepared to tell lies, falsehoods, and fake news to polarise race and religious relations through baseless incitements for their selfish interests.
(Media Statement by DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 18th March 2023)