UMNO Fueling Racial Hatred

Pakatan claims Umno, Utusan ‘fuelling hatred’

By Clara Chooi

August 20, 2010

Anwar predicted that Umno would step up with “more slanderous lies”. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders today flayed Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia for “fuelling the fires of hatred” by spreading “lies” that the Penang chief minister’s name had replaced the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s during Friday sermons at several mosques in the state. PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed the accusations against Lim Guan Eng were made out of BN’s sheer desperation to remain politically relevant, pointing out that he had personally read the text of the sermon.
“I personally monitored the situation... I read the text that was distributed and found that the allegations were unfounded.
“They were merely lies spread for the political gains of politicians who are getting increasingly desperate,” he said in a statement today.
He said that allegation, made by Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was a reflection of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s failure to understand the people’s desire for a peaceful nation.
“We are confident that Umno’s ploy will not end here. They will surely use more slanderous lies to destroy the understanding and peace in the community.
“They are aware that Malaysians are committed towards seeking for change and justice,” he said.
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang then slammed Utusan Malaysia for its front-page headline today, claiming the Malay daily had committed the most “irresponsible act in the history of Malaysian journalism”.
He said that the headline, which read, “Nama Guan Eng ganti Agong — Disebut dalam doa khutbah Jumaat: Umno Pulau Pinang bantah”, was “utterly baseless, a mischievous and dangerous incitement of religious hatred, tension and discord in plural Malaysia”.
“It goes against all the principles and values espoused by 1 Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
Kit Siang reminded Malaysians that Merdeka was just around the corner, and called on a complete halt to the recent series of racially-charged incidents.
“With National Day only 11 days away and Malaysia Day in 27 days, there must be a complete halt to the recent series of irresponsible and crazy statements which are incitements of race and religion.
“Otherwise, the country is heading in the direction very opposite to the 1 Malaysia proclaimed by the prime minister,” he said.
Last week, a Johor school principal was accused of uttering racially sensitive remarks during a school assembly speech when she told the Chinese students to go back to China and said the Indians looked like dogs when they wore their prayer strings.
Today, another school principal in Kedah was accused of telling her Chinese pupils to “return to China”.
Kit Siang said Malaysians should celebrate Merdeka by embracing the country’s unity in diversity of ethnicity, religions, cultures and beliefs, the concepts of inclusiveness, social justice and the 1 Malaysia principles of integrity, culture of excellence, wisdom, humility, loyalty and the twin commitments of “People first, performance now”.
“But we have the opposite as illustrated by Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline of falsehood and dangerous incitement to religious hatred, discord and tension,” he said.
Kit Siang noted that Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, the Penang executive councillor in charge of religious affairs, had already refuted Ahmad Zahid’s allegations against Guan Eng.
“Abdul Malik said initial investigations showed no such incident had occurred as the text of the sermon, which is prepared by the state religious affairs department, never used Lim’s name.
“As Abdul Malik said, whoever did such a thing was ‘insane’ as no right thinking person would do it,” he said.
Kit Siang also called on both Ahmad Zahid and Utusan Malaysia to explain and apologise for showing disrespect towards Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept.
Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid claimed that the use of Guan Eng’s name had been detected a week ago during the sermon at several mosques in the Tasek Gelugor, Permatang Pauh and Jelutong areas.
MI

Irresponsible Jounalism

« Racial remarks: Headmistress must be sacked

Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline is the most irresponsible act in history of Malaysian journalism

The Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline today “Nama Guan Eng ganti Agong – Disebut dalam doa khutbah Jumaat: Umno Pulau Pinang bantah” is the most irresponsible act in the history of Malaysian journalism – utterly baseless, a mischievous and dangerous incitement to religious hatred, tension and discord in plural Malaysia and goes against all the principles and values espoused by 1Malaysia.
The first Merdeka month celebrations themed “1Malaysia Transforming the Nation” should celebrate Malaysia’s unity in diversity of ethnicity, religions, cultures and beliefs, the concepts of inclusiveness, social justice and the 1Malaysia principles of culture of excellence, integrity, wisdom, humility, loyalty and the twin commitments of People First, Performance Now.
But we have the opposite as illustrated by Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline of falsehood and dangerous incitement to religious hatred, discord and tension.

The Penang State Government, through the Exco Member in charge of religious affairs Abdul Malik Abul Kassim has completely denied and refuted the allegation of the Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s name has replaced the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s name in the Friday sermon at several mosques in the state.
Abdul Malik said initial investigations showed no such incident had occurred as the text of the sermon, which is prepared by the state religious affairs department, never used Lim’s name.
As Abdul Malik said, whoever did such a thing was ‘insane’ (tidak waras) as no right thinking person would do it.
With National Day only 11 days away and Malaysia Day in 27 days, there must be a complete halt to recent series of irresponsible and crazy statements which are incitement of race and religion in the media or the country is heading in the direction very opposite to the 1Malaysia proclaimed by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
National leaders must always remember that in the era of globalisation and information technology, the whole world is watching what is happening in the country.
Both Ahmad Zahid and Utusan Malaysia must explain, apologise and undo the great harm done to Najib’s 1Malaysia by their most irresponsible actions.
Lim Kit Siang

Malay Unity

9/08/2010

When the Malays refuse to unite

By ZULKIFLEE BAKAR
pengarang@utusan.com.my
What else can the Malays say when MCA is becoming more vocal in making demand to
gain back their ground and political mileage from the Chinese?
What else can the Malays do when the DAP is getting bolder by the day as the
champion of the Chinese interest?
What else can the Malays do in confronting this political antic? Is it
sufficient just to
express regret and give warning that the Malay rights should not be touched?
What about the revelation made by Perak Mufti, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria that
there are quarters who had formulated a new constitution in an attempt to erode
the Malays and Muslims interest.
This writer believes that the vociferous attempts by this group will not end
just there especially in the light of 13rd general elections.
But what can a Malay do? It must be admitted that they can do nothing because
they are in disarray.
When MCA openly said that it will not look over its shoulder in fighting for its
cause along the opposition line, the parties representing the Malays continue to
be in the state of rivalry.
This is obvious when Pas, a 100 percent Malay and Muslim-based party openly
refused to be in sync with UMNO.
It is a big sin to support UMNO even if it is necessary for the unity of the
Malays and Muslims. And yet Pas find it proper to sleep in one bed with the
party
it vehemently condemned as infidel and opposed the very principle that it
advocate.
This disunity is giving an added advantage to MCA and DAP and in fact give the
new spirit to them in pushing their agenda to erode the Malay rights because
they understand that the Malays in Pas will not support UMNO on these issues.
While UMNO members put their lives in fighting to defend the Malay rights, the
other Malays in Pas and PKR, can only remain silent.
What is more upset, Pas and PKR will say that UMNO is racist in highlighting
issues on the Malay rights. But when MCA and DAP brought up racial issues, they
it is right to do so in the name of justice.
As such, in this aspect, the Malays must wake up and for as long as they fail to
sing the same tune in defending their rights, the Malays will have nothing left
in future.
The only way to stop the challenge towards the Malay rights is for all the
Malays to unite. This is for real and not an attempt at provoking the Malays to
come together which is seen as almost impossible. The only weapon left for the
survival of the Malays is unity. They had learnt the hard way in the last
general elections. As such they should understand the repercussion should they
remain disarray in future.
Utusan

Red Shirt versus Yellow Shirt

By David McNeill in Lamphun

Friday, 20 August 2010

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EPA

Red Shirt supporter is blocked by riot police in Bangkok in April during the disturbances that left at least 90 dead and 2,000 injured

Ground Zero and Obama

Mosque row and US vote

Executive Director of the Muslim American Society Imam Mahdi Bray delivering remarks at a press conference in Washington, DC USA. Imam Bray was joined by Christian and Jewish leaders at a news conference last week to respond to President Obama's remarks regarding the 'Ground Zero' mosque and community center project of the Cordoba Initiative in New York City.Picture: EPA

 

Liz Sidoti
WASHINGTON

Friday, August 20, 2010

ADD another US election-year hurdle for Democrats: President Barack Obama's forceful defence of the right of Muslims to build a mosque near the World Trade Center site in New York.

His comments are giving Republicans a campaign-year cudgel and forcing Democrats to address a divisive issue within weeks of November contests that will decide the balance of power in Washington. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in a competitive re-election fight, was the highest profile Democrat to move away from Obama on the matter.

"The First Amendment protects freedom of religion," Reid's spokesman Jim Manley said in a statement Monday, referring to a provision of the US Constitution. "Senator Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built some place else."

Democrats privately called the issue a distraction when the party should be laser-focused on keeping comfortable majorities in Congress. The political climate already favours Republicans as economically struggling voters look to unleash their fury on the party in power.

White House aides have spent four days trying to explain exactly where the normally eloquent president stands on the mosque. Obama's ringing statement in support of religious equality Friday, followed a day later by a caveat, stoked anew false Internet rumours about his citizenship and religion.

Some Democratic candidates fear the political fallout that Republicans suggest is coming against those who support building a mosque two blocks from the lower Manhattan site of the September 11, 2001, attacks. And some Republicans are trying to walk a careful line in their criticism, lest they be tagged religiously intolerant or be accused of stoking fear.

Former Senator Dan Coats, who is challenging Rep Brad Ellsworth for an Indiana Senate seat, said: "It's an insult I think to the people who lost lives there."

One of the few to praise the president was Republican-turned-independent Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York.

"If we shut down - shout down - a mosque and community center because it is two blocks away from the site where freedom was attacked, I think it would be a sad day for America," Bloomberg told reporters Monday.

For weeks, the White House had refused to interject itself into what it called a local zoning issue even though the mosque debate had taken on national significance with Republicans such as Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich forcefully opposing it. Obama publicly commented on the issue only after Bloomberg delivered an impassioned supportive speech and after the plan cleared a final city regulatory hurdle.

It's a tricky issue and not just because of the emotional nature of the attacks executed by terrorists from Muslim countries. Americans view Muslims far less favorably than other religious groups. Obama has set a welcoming tone even as the Christian president has been falsely accused by conservative critics of secretly being Muslim or foreign-born.

Obama waded into the debate Friday at the annual White House dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan, saying: "Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances."

By Saturday, the president was in Florida -- and elaborating.

"I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there," he said. "I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding."

Republicans, led by several considering challenging Obama in 2012, assailed the president. "We all know that they have the right to do it, but should they?" Palin asked on Twitter.

Most Democrats stayed silent, probably because they'd rather discuss voters' No.1 issue - jobs. They are already answering questions about a 9.5 percent unemployment rate.AP