Ali Rustam being investigated for sedition following remarks against the Chinese

Ali Rustam said the Chinese were involved in illegal businesses. – The Malaysian Insider pic, October 17, 2013.Umno vice-presidential hopeful Senator Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam is being investigated by the police for allegedly making seditious remarks against the Chinese community at a recent event in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur city police have begun investigations following a report lodged by DAP Kota Laksamana assemblyman Lai Kuen Ban at the Tengkera police station on October 9.

This followed remarks made by Mohd Ali at a Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB) event on October 8 where he had criticised the Chinese for being allegedly involved in all "illegal businesses" in the country. He is the chairman of the government entrepreneur development corporation.

“We can't have casinos, 4D, Toto, gambling, lottery, massage parlours, ah long. These are all illegal. And the Chinese are the ones dabbling with all the illegal businesses,” he was quoted as saying.

Ayer Keroh assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong, who accompanied Lai to lodge the police report, said Lai had noted in his report that Mohd Ali’s comments were seditious and wanted the police to investigate. Lai is currently overseas.

“The police recorded Lai’s statement on the same day,” said Khoo.

The case is now being investigated by Brickfields police as Mohd Ali had allegedly made the comments at a hotel in the federal capital city.

Brickfields police chief Assistant Commissioner Azlee Abdullah confirmed that a report was lodged, adding that investigations were underway. He declined further comment.

However, The Malaysian Insider understood that police have begun recording statements from several people who were at the function, including journalists.

At the function, Mohd Ali also spoke on the necessity to retain Malays in most government agencies, including the police and armed forces.

The politician, in his campaign to win the hearts of Malay conservatives for the upcoming Umno polls, had said, "The Chinese want everything. We've treated them well. The Malays have been good to them".

"When the Chinese want help, request to build schools, scholarships, the government gave it to them. But when election time came, they forgot all this. All that's important is that they take over the Malays and turn them into 'pendatang'."

This stirred the emotions of the 100-odd audience with some of them shouting, "ask the Chinese to return home".

Mohd Ali is among the six candidates hoping to bag one of the three vice-presidents’ spots in this Saturday’s Umno polls.

The other contenders are incumbents Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as well as Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad.

Following changes to the way Umno picked its leadership in 2009, this time around about 146,000 delegates from 191 divisions nationwide will cast their votes to select the party's vice-presidents and supreme council members.

Party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, were returned to their posts unopposed.

In the 2009 Umno elections, Mohd Ali ran for the deputy presidency but was disqualified after being found guilty of money politics.