A PAS leader has called on the government to take stern action against DAP for allegedly touching on 3R (religion, race and royalty) issues ahead of the upcoming state elections.
This is an example of the lies, falsehood, fake news and hate speech which PAS under the leadership of its president Tan Sri Hadi Awang is spreading as state polls loom across the six states of Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
DAP has never abused 3R issues as the party accepts the original nation-building principles for a plural Malaysia as set out in the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara (National Principles), and that it wants to unite all Malaysians regardless of race or religion.
In fact, right from the start of the first general election in 1969 which DAP contested, the party has been fielding candidates representing all races and all religions.
Two Malay Muslims candidates were elected state assemblymen and one of them, Ibrahim Singgeh, who had won the Tapah Road State Assembly seat in Perak during the 1974 General Election with 3,319 votes compared to the Alliance’s 2,986 votes and PAS’ 753 voters was announced as the DAP Perak menteri besar-designate.
In 1999, now DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng sacrificed his Kota Melaka parliamentary seat and went to jail in defence of the honour and dignity of an underage Malay girl.
Has any PAS leader made any sacrifices for any underage Malay girl, let alone a Malaysian girl of another race or religion?
The PAS leader who made the baseless allegation that the DAP was using issues that touch on the 3Rs wanted to deflect legitimate criticisms that PAS leaders were irresponsibly disseminating lies, falsehood, fake news and hate speech in the campaign for the six state elections and he had provided one such example.
It is a well-known and established fact that the PAS head honcho Hadi had made all sorts of baseless and wicked allegations against the DAP and me personally – that I am anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, a communist and promoting Islamophobia – but when repeatedly challenged to substantiate these preposterous allegations, he was unable to do so.
In fact, Hadi had launched a ferocious attack on me during the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri yet I have no harsh words for him and still wished Hadi and PAS “Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf zahir dan batin!”
A social media user tweeted a prayer urging for the death of Hadi but I advised the netizen to retract and apologise, and wished Hadi – who is warded in hospital – a swift recovery.
The best way to prevent the irresponsible use of 3Rs is to be committed to a Malaysian vision to serve all Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region, age or gender.
In the approach of the six state polls, there will be irresponsible political forces trying to set race against race and religion against religion. We must not fall into their trap as there is no racial or religious animosity or tension in Malaysia.
I want to see Malaysia become a role model to the world of inter-ethnic, inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civilisation dialogue, understanding, tolerance and harmony but dare PAS support this objective? – July 3, 2023
Veteran lawmaker and retired DAP supremo Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang was the former MP for Iskandar Puteri.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
