VIDEO l 2.08 min
VIDEO l 2.08 min
VIDEO l 2.08 min
VIDEO l 2.08 min


Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy has urged PAS to take disciplinary action against their member, Islamic preacher Shahul Hamid, for issuing remarks insulting to the Hindu religion.

He said the fact that Shahul is from PAS, a member in the Penang Tanjong division, makes it difficult for those, like the DAP, in the Pakatan Rakyat.

He expressed the hope that notwithstanding Shahul's (left) apology to the Hindu public, PAS will take disciplinary action against him.

"He should be penalised for smearing the name of PAS in the eyes of the Malaysian public," said Ramasamy, who is Perai assemblyperson.

"I believe that PAS should make systematic attempts to weed out racists and rascals from the party," added the party's deputy secretary-general.

Shahul has apologised for uttering some "highly insensitive and religiously provocative statements" against the Hindu religion.

His remarks, delivered in a in a lecture in Shah Alam, believed to be some four or five years ago, was uploaded in a video clip which had gone viral and incensed several groups, including the MIC, which staged a rally in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

In the video clip, he was heard telling Muslims not to buy curry powder products from what he deemed to be “Hindu” companies, such as Alagappa's and Baba's.

No report, no action

PAS has distanced itself  from Shahul's speech, saying he made those remarks as a preacher not as a member.

However, it has decided not to act on Shahul yet as the party has yet to receive any report from its members, but atate deputy commissioner I Mujahid Yusof Rawa said he will raise the issue at PAS’ central executive committee meeting on Aug 10.

In his apology yesterday, Shahul said that he will never again hurt the feelings of the Hindu community.

He added that as an Indian Muslim he understands the feelings and sentiments of the Hindu community in Malaysia.
 
Despite the apology, Ramasamy asked what guarantee was there that other Muslim extremists might not continue to harass and belittle faiths other than Islam.

Ramasamy (left) pointed out that the apology does not prevent the police from discharging their duties as the preacher is liable to be charged under the Sedition Act.

It was reported yesterday that police are investigating Shahul’s remarks under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Double standards under spotlight

But Ramasamy also questioned the double standards in Malaysia over the swift police action against Shahul.

"Lately, when Malay rights NGOs Perkasa and Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma) have been making incendiary statements, they have not been booked by the police. So why the double-standards in Malaysia?" he asked.
 
He recalled when PKR turned Perkasa deputy president Zulkifli Noordin made anti-Hindu statements before the last elections, he was left off the hook.

In fact, he was rewarded by BN to contest in Shah Alam parliamentary seat, but lost to PAS, Ramasamy reminded.
 
He  also pointed out that a recent United States report touched on the rise of religious intolerance in Malaysia.

"Shahul’s anti-Hindu remark is not an isolated incident. There is a larger political, social and religious context. What is this context?" Ramasamy asked.

"The emphasis by Umno and its fraternal organisations to maintain the Malay/Islamic hegemony  to perpetuate themselves in power in the future.

"Unless and until, the is a national attempt to address these issues, we are going to expect the rise of religious intolerance in Malaysia as predicted by US", he warned.

Apology not enough

Meanwhile, Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general S Barathidasan expressed disappointment with Mujahid for deeming the case closed.

“The case is not closed with a mere apology. Mipas and all Hindus cannot forgive him (Shahul) because his statement has offended us.”

Barathidasan (left) also pointed out how apart from Shahul, other quarters before him have deliberately disparaged the sanctity of the Hindu religion.

“Today you apologise, the next day other people will do the same thing.

“As such, the authorities must take the necessary action to ensure that such incidents do not re-occur,” he stressed.

On the case of Siti Fairrah Ashyikin, or Kiki, whose video of her hitting an elderly man’s car with a steering lock went viral, Barathidasan pointed out that police action was taken despite her having apologised.

DAP vice-chairman M Kulasegaran, on the other hand, called on PAS to expel Shahul from the party.

“If he is indeed a PAS member, then PAS must immediately expel him from the party,” he said in a separate statement.