Perkasa protesters’ behaviour yesterday over the “Allah” issue was highly embarrassing and not representative of Muslims, said Penang PKR.
Its chairman, Datuk Mansor Othman, said the coarse language used was very shameful as the words were uttered after the protesters conducted their Friday prayers.
“I characterise the crude words that were uttered by the demonstration’s participants as insolent, irresponsible and not reflective of the struggle of Islam as they claim,” the Nibong Tebal MP and former deputy chief minister said in a statement.
“Such utterances that were thrown on the chief minister and the religious affairs executive councillor should not come from the mouths of those who are labelled as defenders of Islam.
“I would like to state that the highly embarrassing actions do not represent the overall Muslim community.”
The protest was held by a boisterous group led by Penang Perkasa youth chief Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin outside the main entrance of the Komtar state administrative building yesterday.
All the main entrances to the building were shut during a two-hour security lockdown of the complex.
Rizuad criticised state executive councillor for religious affairs, Datuk Abdul Malik Kassim, for supporting chief minister Lim Guan Eng's assertion that non-Muslims in Penang are not prohibited from using the word "Allah".
They demanded that Malik show up to receive a memorandum from on the exclusivity of “Allah” for Muslims.
Rizuad said Malik was scared and called him a "pondan", a derogatory term for an effeminate man. He also called Lim a “babi hutan” (wild boar).
Lim had told a press conference at his office in George Town on December 12 that the Penang State Islamic Religious Administration Enactment 2004, which had a fatwa appended on the matter in 2010, did not not apply to non-Muslims.
Malik, who is from PKR, also said that Lim's comment about fatwas being applicable only to Muslims was "a statement of fact."
Also, in Ipoh yesterday a group of men said to be Perkasa supporters tore down a Christmas banner outside the DAP office.
Protesters wearing Perkasa shirts ripped off a banner that had a Christmas greeting at the front entrance of the Perak DAP headquarters.
Lim said they also “physically harassed” the state assemblyman for Tebing Tinggi, Ong Boon Piow.
On both incidents, Lim said in a separate statement that the protesters were only "masquerading" as defenders of Islam.
Lim said this was because they did not dare demonstrate against MCA for its demand on the Allah issue.
He said the inaction against MCA implied that Perkasa and Umno extremists were clearly working together with MCA to stir up racial and religious sentiments for Barisan Nasional’s political gain.
Lim added that while Umno extremists and Perkasa leaders had the right to demonstrate, any unruly and uncivilised behaviour had to be condemned.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.