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Thursday, November 11, 2010

DAP: To call May 13 a scared day is to say Hitler was a saint


DAP has come out strongly against an editorial in Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia which described the 1969 May 13 racial riots as a 'sacred day' for Malaysia.

Jagdeep Singh Deo (DAP-Dato Keramat) said he was in "awe and disappointment" over the article as all Malaysians knew it was a 'black day' in history.

He demanded that the Umno-backed daily apologise to all Malaysians over the article with immediate effect.

It is learnt that Pakatan Rakyat Youth wing would lodge a report at the police headquarters in Jalan Pattani over the matter at 1pm today.

"It (saying May 13 was a sacred day) is like describing (late German dictator) Hitler as a saint," Jagdeep told reporters at a press conference in the state assembly meeting room yesterday.

"This is a day when riots between different ethnic groups occurred; we do not want a repeat of the day and I believe all Malaysians who are rational consider this day as a black day which we should not be proud of," he said.

"We want to record our utter disappointment that the editor of Utusan Malaysia can describe this day as sacred," added the state DAP vice-chairperson.

Blessing in disguise

The daily's deputy editor-in-chief Zaini Hassan described the riots as a blessing in disguise in his weekly column. He also warned DAP to recognise the significance of that day.

Utusan's Zaini Hassan
Otherwise "wealthy businesses and the professional classes would be controlled by one race only," he wrote.

He said due to the incident, the New Economic Policy was created but DAP's opposition to it led to the party's attempts to erase the May 13 riot from national history.

In his article, Zaini blamed the Penang government for acting unjustly against state opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim when it banned him from the assembly for touching on May 13.

Zaini wrote: "If DAP is fated to rule Malaysia (May Allah protect us) the ISA (Internal Security Act) will be strengthened."

Jagdeep said the episode should be retained in history books. "Children need to be taught that this was a black day."

He denied that if Pakatan Rakyat ruled the country, the ISA would be strengthened, saying instead that the draconian act would be abolished.

He refuted the notion that Azhar was a hero as he was barred from the House not only over the May 13 comment, but over other remarks as well.

These included threatening the government that the army will take over and that a Malay gangster group 'Tiga Line' would teach it a lesson if the Malay race continues to be insulted.

Facts distorted

Meanwhile, Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tsin said he regretted the newspaper's "frequent distortion of facts".

Jagdeep Singh - a chip off the Karpal block
He urged the Malay daily not to mislead the public as Azhar had retracted his May 13 comment in the house in May and apologised for it.

Following which, BN component parties had issued a statement saying the former's remarks were not reflective of the alliance's stand, he added.

"He is not a national hero but a destroyer of the nation," said Sim, while supporting the call for the daily to apologise to all Malaysians over the article.

PAS Permatang Pasir rep Mohd Salleh Man said if the issue continues to be raised, it would heighten the people's suspicions over the country's democratic system.

He added that the party does not feel at ease with the attitude of certain parties who continue to remind the public of the unrest during May 13.

"At that time the people lived in fear, their lives were without direction. We hope it will never be repeated," he added.

- Malaysiakini

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