We’ll do it again if Malays are insulted, say chicken-slap protesters

Members of a Malay NGO smearing a banner of DAP leaders with chicken blood in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. – The Malaysian Insider pic, February 9, 2014.The Home Ministry's decision to dismiss the "chicken and slap" Islamic coalition's threats as nothing serious appears to have emboldened their leaders as they now warn of more protests if "things do not change".

The "Council of Islamic NGOs", which comprise Umno-linked groups, said it was not afraid of the consequences and showed no remorse over the threat on Thursday where members slaughtered two chickens and offered a RM1,200 reward to anyone who slaps Seputeh MP Teresa Kok for her satirical video which offended them.

"If the politicians continue with their chauvinistic attitude, we will hold another protest. We are not afraid," Pertubuhan Permuafakatan Majlis Ayahanda Malaysia (Permas) secretary-general Zulkifli Sharif told The Malaysian Insider.

Zulkifli led the group in the protest against Kok and other DAP leaders, a stunt which Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had dismissed by saying that "slapping is not a threat".

"Why do we need to investigate that? Slapping is not a threat. If they say murder, then it is a threat," the minister said yesterday.

Pertubuhan Kebajikan Insan Bakti Malaysia (Perkib) president Mohd Mokhtar Ghazali, who had joined in the protest, said the group had "nothing to worry about".

"If we are brave enough to do it, then we are brave enough to face the consequences.

"The police should first take action against Teresa Kok before us because we made reports before her," he added.

Five Muslims groups were said to have taken part in the protest, including Permas and Perkib. The others are Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM), Martabat Jalinan Muhibbah Malaysia (MJMM) and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam dan Dakwah (Pekida), which is linked to Umno and whose past leaders include former prime minister and Umno president Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 

The groups had claimed that several opposition leaders had insulted the Malay leadership and Islam.

Apart from the slaughter and reward offer, they smeared chicken blood on a banner with photographs of Kok, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Machang Bubuk PKR assemblyman Lee Khai Loon.

The protesters said they had acted based on Kok's Chinese New Year video, entitled "Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014”, which has been criticised by several ministers and Muslim NGOs.

"It's like she (Kok) has a hidden agenda against Malays in what she said in the video," said Zulkifli, who claimed that he had organised the protest for the sake of his religion, race and country.

Mokhtar added: "Why are these few leaders playing with issues that can confuse or hurt the feelings of the people? They are pitting one race against the other."

Both leaders denied outside influence when asked if their groups were goaded into it by politicians.

"This is our initiative," Zulkifli said.

"We funded it ourselves, too. We had no political or corporate sponsors," Mokhtar said.

Although they have denied links to any political parties, it is said that the groups have an affiliation to Umno.

Mokhtar said the group would speak up against anyone who insulted Islam and questioned Malay rights.

"We don't care which party they are from. I am ready to even criticise the government if the need arises," he said.

Perkib was set up in 2008 to look into the welfare and eradicate poverty among Muslims.

In a blog, the NGO said its ultimate aim is to "find an everlasting peace on earth and in the afterlife".

Permas is a gathering of leaders of Pekida around in the country and it said that its fight was based on upholding Islam, Malay race, sultans and the country.

Pekida is known for its welfare activities among Muslims but it has also been associated with gangsterism although the group has denied this, saying that those may be splinter groups.

Former deputy education minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah had once defended the group despite their reputation as gangsters.

"Within them, there are different kinds of groups. Even if Pak Lah is Ayahanda of Pekida, he is of the faction that is not of gangsters," he had said last year.