KOTA BARU: Oct 15, 2008
Three senior PAS leaders have condemned the Cheras Umno division for setting up a fund to help the Utusan Malaysia newspaper defend itself against multi-million libel suits, saying their intention had racial undertones.
PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa said it was unbecoming for politicians to be defending newspapers that by virtue of ethics, was an independent organisation, a watchdog acting on behalf of society.
He wondered why Cheras Umno was going after Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who was at the centre of allegations that she petitioned a mosque in Puchong to reduce the volume for azan (a call for prayers) as everyone named in the allegations, from Kok to the mosque committee, had denied this.
Yet Cheras Umno was pushing the issue without realising the sensitivities of race and religion, said Husam.
“This is unhealthy for a country with a strong multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition, it can lead to unsavoury tensions,” he said.
Husam was speaking at the Kota Baru PAS “Hari Raya Aidil Fitri” gathering at the state Chinese Chamber of Commerce where the guest of honour was Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Kota Baru MP Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah who hosted the event said most inhabitants in the country particularly the Malays were descendents of migrants either from parts of the Malay archipelago or from the Yunan province in China with some later coming from India.
PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat urged Umno to come out with a fund to salvage Malays from following the secularism form of Islam that they imposed after learning from the British.
He said it was dangerous to use racism in an age where people are fighting for justice and equality around the world.
Lim who launched his book here about experiences of prison life to the early formative days of a DAP-dominated Penang Government, urged MCA and Gerakan to leave the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional.
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Don’t clown around with Racial Issues again.
THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THE STAR REPORT ON THE CHERAS UMNO DIVISIONAL MEETING TITLED “CHERAS UMNO STARTS FUND FOR UTUSAN” DATED MONDAY OCTOBER 13, 2008.
Reading or watching the media reports on UMNO’s current and aspiring “leaders” can be a cause for high blood pressure and heart attack (nothing to do with The STAR reporting). Sometimes the blood rushes to the head and at the same time you break out laughing like a hyena. The sudden change from anger to laughter can be dangerous (as stated in an episode of Dr. House, season 4).
Can anyone ever to imagine that we have politicians who still stroke the racial sentiments. Has the Cheras division head Datuk Syed Ali Al Habshee lost his “marbles”? Even after it was reported that Seputeh MP Teresa Kok did not interfere with the “Azan” issue (the mosque has also stated that she was not involved in such a move.) certain UMNO politicians are still harping on it.
If he wants to defend Utusan by starting a “Help Utusan Malaysia Fund” the idea is noble but he should justify it based on the legal suit (RM30mil defamation lawsuit). His comment should be limited to helping the media organization with its legal cost.
He went beyond the limits of a responsible leader, capable of serving the people of all walk of life, creed, race, religion, etc by stating:
1) That, questioning the azan meant questioning the honour of Malays and Islam (her non-involvement had been established);
2) That, “Teresa has challenged the honour of Malays by suing Utusan Malaysia as it is a newspaper owned by the Malays (so does it mean that no ordinary citizens can ever take a case against a Malay/Bumi company?);
3) That, “Challenging the Malays is similar to challenging Umno,” (please tell me how a legal suit is a challenge to UMNO, when UMNO’s biggest challenge is within the party with people such as Datuk Syed Ali Al Habshee).
Malaysians are a harmonious lot who don’t care with political propaganda and comical antics. But, sometimes when their antics are repeated over and over again, it tends to influence ordinary people like you and me. From the term “we” as always used by group of friends, it can be re-phrased to “you people” or “that people”. This is the price we pay when we have top leaders (from all parties) who are scared to take any real and responsible decisions to stop such commentaries from irresponsible so-called “leaders”. Why is there no action taken against:
1) Dato Mohd Kir Toyo for his allegation on this matter?
2) Utusan Malaysia Sdn Bhd for printing and commenting on this issue?
3) Datuk Syed Ali Al Habshee for his reason comment and instigating racial division?
What would the Prime Minster, Deputy Prime Minister (PM designate) and the Home Minister’s reply/comment/justification/bullshits be with regard to Datuk Syed Ali Al Habshee’s statement on Sunday at the Cheras Divisional meeting?
By the way, respecting a leader is not mandatory. If the leader cannot garner such respect from the masses due to his actions/inactions/indiscretions, than he or she should be left to make a drastic decision to change them-self or walk away from being a leader.
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