LIKE it or not, a defiant UMNO Youth has put a ‘feeble solidarity’ within the unity government to test with its all-out war against 24-hour convenience store chain KK Super Mart.
As UMNO senior leaders of the party are mostly silent on the thorny matter with the exception of its vocal supreme council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi, its youth wing chief has been training his gun on KK Super Mart despite its ‘profuse’ apology as well as unity government allies who deemed his call for nationwide boycott as “too extreme”.
In a very much opposition slant narrative, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has shot down appeals to chill from his counterpart in DAP Youth (DAPSY) chief Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen and even MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon who deemed his call for nationwide boycott as detrimental to the nation’s economy.
The latest to criticise the Merlimau state assemblyman is DAP’s vice-chairman and Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming who accused him of violating the “Madani spirit” over his reaction.
In ticking off Nga for labelling his action as being seditious in that it is fanning racial and religious sentiments, Dr Akmal is seemingly bent on forging ahead with his nationwide boycott plan which he deemed as already very lenient lest “the shops would already been burnt down”.
“Bring it on bro. Not afraid even a little bit. Since the past until now, UMNO’s principle is to defend Islam, the Bumiputera and Malay rulers. This principle has never changed and Insyallah (God willing) will last forever,” the Russia-trained medical doctor chided Nga who is also the Teluk Intan MP. “That’s what UMNO youth would fight for till death.”
That fiery statement of such nature is being brandished around – if left unchecked – can tear apart the fragility of unity not only within the Madani government but that among Malaysians which more and more divisive gaps surfacing by the day.
One wonders if UMNO Youth is fighting its own battle in the quest to re-gain brownie points from the grassroots who have deserted the party in favour of PAS and Bersatu.
Definitely, every peace-loving Malaysian regretted and understands the severity of the incident whereby one or 0.11% out of 881 KK Super Mart outlets displayed socks with the “Allah” inscription for sale.
Obviously multi-faith Malaysians could feel the pain in the heart of their Muslim brethren for the oversight by the KK Super Mart management to let those damning socks slipped by.
At this juncture, perhaps the UMNO patriarch needs to step in to counsel its youth wing head honcho who has incessantly been harping on the matter as if there is no tomorrow.
After all, “to err is human, to forgive divine”. In this regard, the timing is so perfect that this holy month of Ramadan is one where mercy and forgiveness thrive.
There is no way to turn back the clock to undo what had happened; like it or not we just have to accept that religion can be a sticky and frustrating subject, i.e., when some ignorant caterers accidentally serve beef to a table of Hindu guests. – March 19, 2024
Main pic credit: Harian Metro
