HQ arson: A dangerous escalation towards violence, Guan Eng warns Umno

UPDATE2 Penang UMNO's feud against the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government is getting out of hand, warned Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, after arsonists tried to set fire to the DAP headquarters in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

"It is a dangerous escalation towards violence and if left unchecked, this will make a functioning democracy not a contest of ideas and principles but a contest of violence. I hope the police can act forcefully to nab those responsible. Act without fear or favour,” Guan Eng told a press conference, confirming that perpetrators had set fire to a stack of newspapers outside the HQ in Jalan Talikom.

Calling the attack "barbaric", Guan Eng believes the torching is linked to Sunday's vandalism, wherein he has already accused UMNO supporters of throwing red paint at the DAP building.

The DAP secretary-general suspects the Thursday torching was due to unhappiness over a recent fatwa or ban against the use of mosque loud-speakers to broadcats sahur or pre-dawn prayers.

"The mufti had already clarified that we weren’t involved, it was decided by the fatwa committee without any instruction or interference by the state government,” said Guan Eng.

The fire was eventually put out by neighbouring residents and the Fire Department after 20 minutes. The flames could have spread to other parts of the building.

“Someone tried 2 torch down DAP Penang HQ around 3am. All the newspapers put outside the HQ have been burnt down. 2nd attack after 4 days," Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik said on his Twitter.

"A bottle was found, but we cannot determine whether the suspected arsonist had used kerosene to start the fire. The firemen took the bottle away for tests. A neighbour who lives opposite the building saw a person on a motorcycle leaving the area after the fire was lit."

Fatwa connection?

Police reports have already been made over the Sunday paint incident but no action has been taken so far. Upset by the police apathy, DAP leaders are ow demanding immediate attention lest further 'accidents' occured.

“When democratic rallies are held asking for free and fair polls, they are harshly treated and beaten up. Look at the pro-BN protest blocking the Penang Bridge recently. 10km of traffic was caused and even reporters were beaten but you don’t see action against Umno. This gives encouragement for violent actions,” Guan Eng chided.

PKR exco in charge of Islamic affairs, Abdul Malik, had also denouced Umno vice-president Zahid Hamidi for insinuating that the state government was behind the ban to use loud speaks to broadcast verses from the Quran in the pre-dawn Sahur prayers during the fasting Ramadan month.

"Not once did we raise such an issue to the Mufti panel which chairs the Fatwa Council. The appointment of the Muftis are not by the state government but directly by the Agung. They do not take their orders from the state government," said Malik, who was also at the Sunday press conference.

"The decision was made by the Penang Fatwa Council in June and we were informed of it in Julyn and asked to announce it. It was very mischievous of Zaid to try and link it to us. He should know better because he was formerly the minister in charge of religious affairs in the PM's Department. He cannot but know such a ruling cannot come from the state government."

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