COINCIDENCE OR NOT, UNDER MAHATHIR – OFTEN SUSPECTED OF HAVING A HAND IN TRIGGERING MAY 13, 1969 RACE RIOTS – FEARS OF CHAOS RETURN AS EVEN POLICE ADVISOR WARNS OF VIOLENCE IF RACIAL POLITICKING NOT TONED DOWN

An advisor to the police’s deradicalisation programme has warned that the nation could witness a repeat of the race riots which occurred five decades ago.

Ahmad El Muhammady, who has interviewed dozens of militants, expressed concern over the open polemics regarding race, religion and political ideologies.

He said the heated temperature was evident on social media.

“If you don’t trust me, open Facebook and read the comment section. As a deradicalisation researcher, the views in there are only a step away from something radical.

“Is there a possibility that the country is heading towards May 13, 1969? I’m confident that it could happen. It is waiting for a trigger.

“This is my warning: if there is not enough efforts to stymie the heat among the people, don’t be surprised if the May 13 incident recurs,” added the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer.

Ahmad was speaking at a discourse at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) titled “Violence and national security: Are we ready?” yesterday.

The counter-terrorism analyst also commented on the recent arrest of a dozen indviduals, including two DAP assemblypersons, over their alleged links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Ahmad said while the argument that LTTE is defunct was valid, its ideology, however, was still alive.

“With the death of its leader V Prabhakaran, it is true that the organisation has been defunct but not the ideology.

“So I think politicians need to be careful in making statements. The concern is that LTTE could be revived after its fall,” he added.

The LTTE was decimated in 2009, which brought the protracted civil war in Sri Lanka to an end.

The police’s counter-terrorism division had alleged that those arrested could be involved in attempts to revive the movement.

It was also alleged one of the suspects had plotted to attack the Sri Lankan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

However, various quarters, including the Malaysian Bar, have urged the authorities to charge the suspects in court, especially since the police claim to have concrete evidence, instead of holding them under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

Sosma allows the police to detain suspects without trial for a period of 28 days.

MKINI