A man claiming to be a land activist targeting illegal temple structures on private land admitted he was merely trolling PKR and its supporters by registering to join the party.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak said his publicly announced bid to join PKR was nothing more than a joke.
“Benda gurau bila kena terangkan jadi tak best. Yelah, nanti aku hantar borang PAS pulak. Ok tak pembaris?” Tamim posted.
(A joke loses its charm once you have to explain it. Right then, I’ll submit a PAS membership form next. Okay or not, rulers?)
The term “pembaris”, or ruler, often describes someone who is rigidly straight-laced and incapable of taking a joke - a tongue-in-cheek nod to the literal straightness of the measuring tool.
On March 5, Tamim posted two updates on Facebook, one expressing his intent to join PKR and requesting a membership registration form, and another showing his completed online application, now pending approval.
PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh said yesterday that Tamim’s application was received on March 5 and that several procedures need to be observed before it is accepted.
“His application is new and requires screening. Several procedures must be completed after he submits the form before he can become a full-fledged member,” she told Free Malaysia Today.
Zamri apes Tamim
On Feb 11, Tamim, who has been at the forefront of campaigning against unauthorised temples, was arrested after demolishing a temple in Rawang.
Tamim had been arrested just several days earlier, along with religious preacher Zamri Vinoth and others, when they turned up for a planned rally on Feb 7 against what were alleged to be illegal houses of worship.
They were remanded for two days before being released.
Zamri, meanwhile, followed suit by announcing his intention to join DAP on March 6.
However, his post was reportedly taken down today, following complaints.
“Aik, umum nak mohon jadi ahli DAP pun kena report! Haha Jangan ingat korang boleh halang aku join DAP! Koyak nampak! Post kuil haram dari zaman dinasor pun hampa angkut, post pasal nak berhimpun pun hampa angkut! Deyyyy. @£@^#&-£!&@^!£!”
(Aik, announcing that I want to join DAP also gets reported! Haha, don’t think you lot can stop me from joining DAP! Looks like you are butthurt! You lot haul up posts about illegal temples from the dinosaur age, haul up posts about gatherings, too! Deyyyy. @£@^#&-£!&@^!£!)
PKR rep says party should reject Tamim, stand firm on principles
In a statement today, Rawang state assemblyperson Chua Wei Kiat said that PKR should reject Tamim’s application, or it risks sending the message to the public that PKR “welcomes extremists” in addressing issues involving religion.
“Today marks the 18th anniversary of the ‘political tsunami’. If we reflect on how PKR navigated the road to the 12th general election (2008) and the political journey that followed, we can only be grateful for holding firmly to the principles of moderation, inclusivity, and justice in managing conflicts within our multi-racial society.
“Many doubted how far PKR could go, given that political realities tend to favour parties that adopt a hardline stance on religious and racial issues.
“This is why so many have thrust themselves forward as champions of a particular race or religion, seeking to win over voters along communal lines,” Chua said.
He said that despite this, PKR always picked the middle path, seeking to reconcile all parties in conflict in the spirit of universal brotherhood.
“The people gave PKR its chance on March 8, 2008, propelling the party from a single parliamentary seat in 2004 to 31 seats, alongside five state governments won together with our allies.
“Over the past 18 years, we have worked tirelessly to convince voters that we would not waver from this political stand.
“If PKR did not abandon these principles when we were in the opposition, what justification is there for betraying these ideals now that we are in power?
“We would be giving the public entirely the wrong impression, as though we condone the demolition of houses of worship without going through the proper authorities, when we have clearly stipulated that legal procedures must be observed to prevent racial tensions within society,” Chua added.
He added that now is the time for PKR to burnish its image, especially at a time when many doubt the value of “reformasi”.
“There is no room for provocation within PKR. No narrow racial or religious sentiment will be tolerated,” he added. - Mkini
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