Rafidah tells rabble-rousers in govt to stop fanning Allah socks flame

 

Rafidah Aziz today urged Putrajaya to stop rabble-rousers within the governing coalition from stoking further tension on the issue of socks bearing the word Allah.

Although she did not mention names, Rafidah appeared to be targeting Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Salleh over his hardline stance on the “Allah” socks controversy.

She suggested that Muslim politicians emulate the exemplary restraint shown by Prophet Muhammad when confronted with bad individuals.

“The prophet has not allowed his ego to prevail.

“If people like the youth chief cannot even try to emulate our great prophet, in the prophet’s treatment of others, then he has not upheld what the religion expects of him.

“We do not need his breed of rabble-rousers, who will only cause fractiousness amongst Malaysians,” she said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

Rafidah, who is a former minister, was commenting on the rising temperature over the socks controversy which surfaced last week when images of socks bearing the words Allah being sold at KK Mart’s Bandar Sunway outlet went viral on social media.

Despite authorities having sprung to action by investigating the incident, several politicians including Akmal had been continuously commenting on the issue.

These include calling for the public to boycott KK Mart and demanding the convenience store chain put up banners at all its outlets apologising to Muslims.

Unwarranted distraction

Rafidah said the government has many other pressing issues that it needs to address and should not be distracted.

“The government must not allow itself to be in that difficult situation of having to manage the rabble-rousers within its midst, and ensuring that tensions do not escalate.

“There are already so many pressing issues to address and manage… without being distracted by such an unwarranted problem as the socks issue.

“Action is already being taken. No one should be allowed to politically capitalise on it. Society and nation will be hurt by it all,” she said. - Mkini