Umno needs to manage Akmal, says DAP leader after halal cert row

 

DAP central executive committee member Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali said Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s recent outburst against Teresa Kok was unbecoming of a Muslim. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

A DAP leader has urged Umno to 

manage

 its youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh or risk facing defeat in the Sept 28 by-election for the Mahkota state seat in Johor.

DAP central executive committee member Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali said Akmal’s recent outburst directed at Seputeh MP Teresa Kok over the halal certification issue, in which he labelled her as a 

Nyonya tua

 (old Nyonya), was unbecoming of a Muslim.

Sheikh Umar said he had been meeting voters in Mahkota over the past week and found that non-Malay voters were particularly uncomfortable with Akmal’s approach to issues.

“However, what was more shocking is that Malay voters were also uncomfortable with Akmal’s attitude, which they consider akin to that of a gangster. I’m worried that Akmal’s approach will negatively affect voting patterns in Mahkota.

As the Umno Youth chief, Akmal is no longer an individual. He represents an institution in Umno. He is a prominent face of the party.

Sheikh Umar said Akmal had to be more careful as Barisan Nasional’s candidate was from his youth wing.

My sincere advice is that Umno needs to manage Akmal to ensure the unity government’s candidate wins the Mahkota polls. Issues that surface should be settled maturely and wisely, not by openly spewing impolite slurs,

 the Johor DAP vice-chief said in a Facebook post.

Kok was questioned by police yesterday over her remarks on the proposal to make halal certification mandatory for all food establishments that do not serve pork and alcohol.

In response to her statement, Akmal had posted a TikTok video in which he called the DAP MP an 

old nyonya lady

 and said she should not interfere with Islamic matters, particularly the halal certification proposal.

The Melaka executive councillor had also called Kok an embarrassment to the country and said she should remain silent on matters concerning Islam.

Kok, who is also DAP vice-chairman, has since sent a letter of demand threatening to sue Akmal for RM25 million if he did not comply with her demands, which included an apology from him and retraction of his remarks.

Akmal replied that he would see her in court. - FMT