FIRE broke out in the wee hours of the morning at the house of DAP’s Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham.
A passer-by had rang the door bell of the house in Ayer Tawar to inform Ngeh and his wife that the house in fire. Three cars parked in the porch of the house was damaged by the fire.
The police have not ruled out arson as the cause of the fire. When I spoke to Ngeh this morning, apparently there were some bottle fragments at the site of the fire.
The authorities – both the fire department and the police – are suspicious that a petrol bomb could have been thrown at Ngeh’s house.
Anyway, the police are seeking the cooperation of witnesses to come forward if they have any information as to the incident.
A few years back, a petrol bomb was thrown at my DAP office in Chai Leng Park, Perai. It was thrown at the front door of my office in the wee hours of the morning. Luckily, there were no damage. Subsequently, a police report was lodged.
I suspect the incident could have been related to my criticisms of some religious extremists in the country.
Madani gov’t must act
The fire at the Ngeh’s house was not an ordinary incident. The cause of the fire points in the direction of the arsonists.
This incident comes at a time when Ngeh was under fire by Malay nationalists and religious extremists for suggesting the appointment of non-Muslim experts in the committee examining the congruity between the shariah laws and the Federal Constitution.
Ngeh apologised for not knowing the full details of the committee especially its placement under the patronage of the Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
The apology should have ended the controversy over Ngeh’s inappropriate suggestion. It was a mere suggestion as a result of misunderstanding. The matter should have been left at that.
I am not sure whether the fire at Ngeh’s house was caused by those who were not happy with his suggestion. Whatever the case is, the probability is high that the fire was caused by those intending to teach Ngeh a lesson.
Ngeh might have raised an inappropriate and awkward suggestion but those who disagreed with him have come out to lambast him. Since he has subsequently apologised, why prolong the matter by resorting to extremism and violence?
If violence is the way to resolve disputes and disagreement, then all these years of fighting for democracy, justice and the rule of law must be in vain.
If a simple disagreement can beget violence, then I shudder to think of major problems arising from ethnic and religious crises.
There are so many mechanisms to resolve conflicts in society. I wonder why the Madani government is hesitant to channel conflicts especially those on race and religion to the appropriate mechanisms for peaceful resolution?
You don’t have to agree to the views of Ngeh but nobody has the right to intimidate him and his family by the use of physical violence. – Jan 10, 2024
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the Urimai (United Rights of Malaysian Party) Interim Council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
