Stop picking on Anwar, Hishammuddin told

Pakatan Rakyat leaders have told Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to stop fingering Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim in order to divert attention from the recent vandalism and violence against churches.

They were referring to the minister’s warning to all politicians - but singling out Anwar (right) - who are ngaging various religious groups over attacks on churches or who are taking advantage of the situation to cause tension.

Nine churches and one school have been targeted following the Kuala Lumpur High Court's ruling on Dec 31 last year to allow Catholic weekly magazine Herald to use the word 'Allah' in its Bahasa Malaysia version.

Yesterday evening, the front door of a Sikh temple in Sentul was damaged after stones were thrown at it.

Newly-appointed PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution (left) said that targeting Anwar is essentially an attempt to cover up Hishammuddin's failure in handling the issue thus far.

“His statement saying that the home ministry will investigate Anwar if he harps on religious sentiments over the ‘Allah’ controversy is irresponsible,” Saifuddin said when contacted.

“By right, Hishammudin should investigate the prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak) and himself, because both of them supported the demonstrations by extremist groups last Friday. As a result, this has become a heated matter.”

Saifuddin, who is also the Machang MP, reiterated that PKR stands by Anwar’s call for people to remain calm and not get involved in any action that may jeopardise peace.

Unlike BN politicians, he said Pakatan leaders have visited churches and the Sikh temple to express sympathy and respect for freedom of religion.

“The action of PKR leaders is not to gain political mileage. The opportunists are those in Umno. The police should take immediate action to prove that they are serious (about bringing the perpetrators to book),” he added.

Anwar has further blamed the federal government for having added to the situation.

Inquiry crucial

Similarly, PAS secretary-general Mahfuz Omar said the minister is evading the real issue.

“The people are observing the way this issue is being handled by the government, and are pointing their finger directly at Umno,” he said.

“So (the government is) diverting attention towards the opposition by insinuating that we are trying to manipulate the issue.”

Mahfuz said that creating a royal commission of inquiry would reveal the root causes of the problem, and enable solutions to be agreed upon.

“At very least, a White Paper should be tabled in Parliament,” he said.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang pointed out that Hishammuddin's statement has only revealed that public confidence in him is eroding.

“Hishammuddin (left) is too truculent and controversial an Umno leader to be a good and professional home minister to inspire confidence that he will not use his ministerial powers for party political ends,” said Lim (right).

“Why is he talking about action against Anwar when he has not been able to take any action over the past five days against anyone for the spate of attacks on places of worship?”

Lim asserted that it is unbecoming and irresponsible of the minister to have said that the government cannot prohibit the people from expressing their views over the use of ‘Allah’.

He added that it is time for Hishammdudin “to become a good, effective, non-controversial and professional home minister and to stop playing Umno politics”.