Under fire for threatening to "chop off" the heads of those who ridicule Islam and the Sultan of Selangor, Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kassim now claims his remark was just "a figure of speech".
Instead of decapitation, the fiery orator said what he meant to say was to "kill" the political careers of four PAS parliamentarians - Khalid Samad (Shah Alam), Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (Kota Raja), Hanipa Maidin (Sepang) and Che Rosli Che Mat (Hulu Langat).
The four had called for Selangor to amend its laws to limit the powers of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais).
"I didn't mean to say 'pancung' (chop) heads, but to 'pancung' them politically, But the political part didn't come out, and I accidentally said 'pancung leher' (chop necks).
"We're not sharpening our machetes. We love peace and harmony," Ruslan (left) said, jokingly chiding Malaysiakini for highlighting his speech.
In a footage captured by KiniTV, Ruslan is heard saying that those who ridicule Islam and the Selangor sultan are parasites who have to be killed, and that he is ready to be a martyr for the cause.
Ruslan's threat during a rally near the Selangor palace on Monday earned him brickbats, including from National Unity Consultative Council's (NUCC) law committee deputy chairperson Lim Chee Wee.
Lim said the statement would be an offence under the proposed Racial and Religious Hate Crime Bill, one of the three new bills that are slated to replace the Sedition Act.
However, the Perkasa leader brushed this off, and said other politicians should also be charged together with him under the proposed bill.
"If what I said is an offence under the (new bill), then RSN Rayer in Penang also made an offence. How many other Chinese and Indians (did it too), Teresa Kok also made an offence. So take action on all of us, don't take selective action," Ruslan said.
Rayer, who is DAP’s Kota Delima assemblyperson, was supposed to be charged with sedition for calling Umno “celaka” (damned) but the case against him waspostponed at the last minute.
Kok (right), who is DAP’s Seputeh MP, has been charged with sedition for a Chinese New Year video she produced, the prosecutors claim insults the prime minister and his wife.
Malay voters should punish PAS MPs
Speaking to KiniTV, Ruslan also called on the people to "sentence" the four PAS lawmakers who want Mais to be put on a leash.
"The people should rise and deliver a sentence, because the people in their constituencies are mostly Malay Muslims.
"They should be the ones to rise because this deals with religious interests, and as Muslims, they shouldn't support (the MPs' calls)," he said.
Similarly, Ruslan echoed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's call for Umno to be brave, like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters in Iraq, who have been accused of mass killings of Shiites there.
"They have to be brave when they are in the right, and afraid when they are in the wrong.
"Sometimes they have no guts. When religious, Malay, and national interests are threatened, they only comfort themselves," Najib said.
However, he stressed that this, too, was just a figure of speech and that it does not mean that Umno should go on a killing spree.
Najib reportedly made this statement at an Umno event on Monday, despite the police arresting Malaysians believed to be involved with ISIL, which has been deemed militant.
VIDEO
Perkasa man: Chop heads just a figure of speech| 2.16
Perkasa echoes PM's call for Umno to man up like ISIL | 0.59
Instead of decapitation, the fiery orator said what he meant to say was to "kill" the political careers of four PAS parliamentarians - Khalid Samad (Shah Alam), Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (Kota Raja), Hanipa Maidin (Sepang) and Che Rosli Che Mat (Hulu Langat).
The four had called for Selangor to amend its laws to limit the powers of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais).
"I didn't mean to say 'pancung' (chop) heads, but to 'pancung' them politically, But the political part didn't come out, and I accidentally said 'pancung leher' (chop necks).
"We're not sharpening our machetes. We love peace and harmony," Ruslan (left) said, jokingly chiding Malaysiakini for highlighting his speech.In a footage captured by KiniTV, Ruslan is heard saying that those who ridicule Islam and the Selangor sultan are parasites who have to be killed, and that he is ready to be a martyr for the cause.
Ruslan's threat during a rally near the Selangor palace on Monday earned him brickbats, including from National Unity Consultative Council's (NUCC) law committee deputy chairperson Lim Chee Wee.
Lim said the statement would be an offence under the proposed Racial and Religious Hate Crime Bill, one of the three new bills that are slated to replace the Sedition Act.
However, the Perkasa leader brushed this off, and said other politicians should also be charged together with him under the proposed bill.
"If what I said is an offence under the (new bill), then RSN Rayer in Penang also made an offence. How many other Chinese and Indians (did it too), Teresa Kok also made an offence. So take action on all of us, don't take selective action," Ruslan said.
Rayer, who is DAP’s Kota Delima assemblyperson, was supposed to be charged with sedition for calling Umno “celaka” (damned) but the case against him waspostponed at the last minute.Kok (right), who is DAP’s Seputeh MP, has been charged with sedition for a Chinese New Year video she produced, the prosecutors claim insults the prime minister and his wife.
Malay voters should punish PAS MPs
Speaking to KiniTV, Ruslan also called on the people to "sentence" the four PAS lawmakers who want Mais to be put on a leash.
"The people should rise and deliver a sentence, because the people in their constituencies are mostly Malay Muslims.
"They should be the ones to rise because this deals with religious interests, and as Muslims, they shouldn't support (the MPs' calls)," he said.
Similarly, Ruslan echoed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's call for Umno to be brave, like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters in Iraq, who have been accused of mass killings of Shiites there."They have to be brave when they are in the right, and afraid when they are in the wrong.
"Sometimes they have no guts. When religious, Malay, and national interests are threatened, they only comfort themselves," Najib said.
However, he stressed that this, too, was just a figure of speech and that it does not mean that Umno should go on a killing spree.
Najib reportedly made this statement at an Umno event on Monday, despite the police arresting Malaysians believed to be involved with ISIL, which has been deemed militant.
VIDEO
Perkasa man: Chop heads just a figure of speech| 2.16
Perkasa echoes PM's call for Umno to man up like ISIL | 0.59
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