DAP: We'll work with BN to prevent another May 13
Pakatan Rakyat is prepared to work together with the government to avoid a repeat of the May 13 racial killings in Malaysia if BN is also serious about ending racial and religious hatred.
But first, said DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang, the ruling coalition must either prove or withdraw threats against the minority races and allegations that non-Malays and non-Muslims were out to undermine the country's standing.
Pakatan Rakyat is prepared to work together with the government to avoid a repeat of the May 13 racial killings in Malaysia if BN is also serious about ending racial and religious hatred.
But first, said DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, the ruling coalition must either prove or withdraw threats against the minority races and allegations that non-Malays and non-Muslims were out to undermine the country's standing.
Lim said this in response to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s ( left ) statement over the weekend that many Muslims had complained of provocations and therefore, alluded that a repeat of a racial riot like that which rocked the nation on May 13, 1969, was not impossible .
"DAP and Pakatan Rakyat will not condone or tolerate any May 13 threat, but we are prepared to fully co-operate with Umno and BN to ensure there will not be another May 13 in Malaysia," Lim said in a press statement.
The Gelang Patah MP also countered that Umno Youth chairperson Khairy Jamaluddin's reinterpretation of Muhyiddin’s statement does not help.
In a lengthy statement, Khairy, who is youth and sports minister, defended Muhyiddin's comment, describing it as a mere reminder on the importance of national unity.
Khairy said DAP had instead overreacted and wrongly saw it as a "veiled threat" as the opposition does not want to see Malaysians united.
"Who is the Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin trying to ‘rescue’ in his naïve but self-serving statement accusing me of manipulating the May 13 remark?" Lim said.
He added that Khairy ( right ) was merely wasting time, trying to sound clever.
"Are the Malays and Islam in Malaysia under siege by non-Malays and non-Muslims in Malaysia, resulting in the possibility of another May 13?
"If it is not true, why is the DPM of a multi-racial and multi-religious nation warning of a recurrence of May 13 because ‘these things are definitely happening and it is worrying’?" Lim asked.
He urged the government to stop its "do-nothing" policy, by which he said it allowed a small group of extremists to stoke racial and religious hatred, tensions and conflict over the past one year.
'Why should the non-Malays be reminded?'
Meanwhile, DAP MP Teresa Kok also questioned why four BN ministers - namely Umno’s Khairy Jamaluddin, Abdul Rahman Dahlan, MCA’s Liow Tiong Lai and Gerakan’s Mah Siew Keong - had to take turns to quickly douse Muhyiddin’s remarks yesterday if it was not so alarming.
“It was obvious that Muhyiddin was blaming and reminding the non-Malay communities.
“Can Liow and Mah explain why the non-Malay communities should be ‘reminded’ about a possible repeat of May 13 when they have not attacked Malays or Islam?” Kok said in a press statement.
Kok reiterated her view that Malaysia’s ethnic relations were not on the verge of erupting into racial clashes or riots and therefore stood by DAP’s position that Muhyiddin only acted as an agent provocateur by bringing up the spectre of May 13, without also answering clearly who were the troublemakers he was alluding to.
Related stories
'Not May 13 looming, but class war among Malays'
Samy: We're now civilised and we don't riot
DAP: We'll work with BN to prevent another May 13
Leash Ramasamy to avoid May 13, DAP told
Ambiga: Don't blame the passengers, captain
Zul Noordin: Haul up the extremists
Shocking Gerakan, MCA whitewash May 13 threat
Surendran: May 13 analogy dubious and risky
Isma chief: Nation heading towards racial conflict
