NGOs want Gerakan man hauled up under Sedition Act for calling Malays ‘pendatang’

Pembela vice-chairman Aminuddin Yahaya during a press conference after lodging a report against Gerakan member Tan Lai Soon at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Raiezal, October 20, 2014.

Fuming over a Gerakan member's claim that Malays, too, are “pendatang” (immigrants), a coalition of Malay NGOs called Pertubuhan Pembela Islam (Pembela) today lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi police station over the issue.

Pembela vice-chairman Aminuddin Yahaya said the NGOs were asking Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to charge Johor's Gerakan delegate Tan Lai Soon under the Sedition Act 1948.

"Pembela condemns the seditious statement which has given rise to a tense situation and triggered anger among Malays.

"It has also indirectly insulted the position of the Malay rulers," he told reporters.

Pembela comprises 82 Malay rights’ groups including Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) and ProMuslim.

Yesterday, Tai told the party's national conference that with the exception of the Orang Asli and natives of Sabah and Sarawak, everyone else was considered “pendatang”.

"When Umno members say the Chinese are 'pendatang', they obviously forgot that they were also 'pendatang' from Indonesia," he said at the Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam.

Pembela today also called on Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong to sack Tan, noting that the minister had promised during the conference that they would not compromise with any members who issued racist statements.

Aminuddin said Pembela was willing to organise a forum to debate the “facts” regarding the “pendatang” concept with the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party.

"If they say we are too emotional, we are offering to hold a forum to talk about this issue. We explain the correct facts to them. We are not afraid."

He also denied that Pembela only took aim at the Chinese community, saying that the coalition would take on anyone in its fight to uphold the rights of Malays and Muslims in the country.

- TMI