Nga: If PN wins, Malaysia will become 'another Afghanistan'

 

GE15 | DAP leader Nga Kor Ming has issued an “Afghanistan” warning ahead of the national polls in his bid to ensure non-Muslim voters do not cast their ballots for Perikatan Nasional (PN), which includes the predominantly Chinese Gerakan.

In a Mandarin statement today, he warned that if PN, which comprises the Malay-based Bersatu and the Islamist PAS, comes into power, Malaysia would become “another Afghanistan”.

Highlighting PAS’ “extremist” policies on gambling, alcohol, concerts and segregating men and women, the Perak DAP chief claimed these threaten the nation’s secular and multicultural values.

Furthermore, he alleged that these policies would “intrude” into non-Muslims’ freedoms as well as lead to an exodus of foreign investors, which in turn would have economic repercussions.

Simply put, Nga warned that if PAS governs - “Malaysia would be destroyed”.

Nga Kor Ming on the campaign trail

“PN has announced that if the coalition wins, PAS candidates will be the menteri besar for Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

“What is worse is that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will replace (PN) chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

“To prevent this unimaginable outcome, we cannot give a single vote to PN in order to defend multiculturalism, human rights and freedom,” he added.

No apology

In 2019, Nga, who was then the deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat when Pakatan Harapan was still in power, came under fire from PAS over the same allegation.

PAS Youth had threatened to hold mass rallies if he did not apologise, but the latter refused to do so.

Nga reportedly said at an event in Perak then that if an Umno-PAS alliance were to come into federal power, Malaysia could turn into Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

PAS Youth had also demanded apologies from then DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and the party’s Johor assemblyperson Chew Chong Sin.

Lim had courted flak from PAS after he issued a statement in Mandarin urging MCA to immediately leave BN because Umno and PAS were now "declaring war" on non-Muslims.

He later issued a correction, which replaced the phrase "declaring war" with "targeting".

Meanwhile, Chew had said the 2019 mosque massacres in New Zealand which left 50 people dead should serve as a lesson for Malaysians on the need to curb extremism and cited the Umno-PAS alliance.

Chew later retracted his statement stating that it had been misunderstood.

‘Avoid racial topics’

Nga’s latest remarks came in the wake of PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli asking non-Malays in Harapan to refrain from criticising or mocking Malay leaders as it would allow the coalition’s rivals to twist the issue to their advantage.

PKR’s Rafizi Ramli

“Avoid racial topics. It would be best if non-Malays did not launch personal attacks against rival Malay leaders, especially those with religious backgrounds.

“The sensitivity can be twisted to portray non-Muslims mocking Islam. Let us Muslims take the lead and expose (their wrongdoings),” he added. - Mkini