Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer (pic), who made headlines this week for his "Umno celaka" (damn Umno) remark in the state legislative assembly, is feeling the heat as he has been inundated with threatening messages.
The senders have warned him to be careful and not play with fire. Many of the messages also contained racial slurs and foul words like "keling" (a rude term for Indian), "pariah" and "celaka" (damn).
This morning Rayer found four banners, with his photograph and the words, "Melayu Celaka" (damn Malays).
"I have lodged a report at the Jelutong police station over the banners, which I believe were just put up. I heard there are also a few on the mainland," he told The Malaysian Insider this afternoon.
Rayer said he had the banners removed and taken to the police station.
"I never expected the situation to blow up this way. I believe it is because of the Bukit Gelugor and Teluk Intan by-elections. Emotions are high at this moment," he said.
The DAP are contesting both parliamentary seats. Its candidate in Teluk Intan, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, 27, was also recently harassed by 'thugs' while campaigning.
On whether he has hired bodyguards, Rayer said some of his constituents have voiced their concern about his safety.
"Some volunteered to follow me around for a while just in case," he said, adding that fortunately nobody has troubled him at his house or law firm.
On Wednesday, following the protest and intrusion into the state assembly, Rayer had also lodged a police report after protestors threatened him.
Some of the protestors loudly claimed that they know where he lives and work and he will have no peace until he apologises for his remark.
Rayer accused Umno of being rude and insolent and of stroking racial sentiments by brandishing a banner that mentioned the May 13, 1969 racial riots when he made the "Umno celaka" remark that riled up Barisan Nasional backbenchers in the House on Tuesday.
He was speaking about how a group of demonstrators in Seberang Jaya had held up a banner that read "Because of DAP's leaders mouth, May 13, 1969 happened...Want some more?" at a rally on January 18.
Yesterday, in a press conference at the state legislative assembly building, he explained that he never meant to ridicule Umno but only three of its leaders namely, Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahya and Penang Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir – who all made fiery speeches at the rally attended by hundreds of people.
Rayer has since said he will not retract his remark nor apologise for it because he felt strongly about the matter.
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