Speech by Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Pasir Pinji Orientation and Election Preparatory Workshop in Ipoh on Sunday, 29^th August 2010: 

Fully support Teo's apology to Selangor Sultan over Surau Al Huda controversy

I fully support DAP MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching’s apology to the Sultan of Selangor for any unintended offence caused by her visit to the Surau Al Huda in her constituency in the course of her parliamentary duties to help her constituents.

Malaysians are shocked however at the intemperate language being used by some elements to foment disaffection.

I refer to the Malaysian Insider report today that Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali is calling for “strong action” to be taken against Teo, saying that she must be charged for “desecrating” the Surau Al Huda.

Even more shocking, the Perkasa chief “attempted to draw an analogy between Nation of Islam preacher Malcom X, who was gunned down at Manhattan Audubon Ballroom by three Black Muslims in 1965 and Teo’s surau visit which has been highlighted by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia last Friday”.

Ibrahim was quoted as having sent the following SMS to Malaysian Insider: “In America, Islamic preacher Malcom X, who preached to Christians and entered their churches was shot dead but in Selangor an ‘unclean DAP politician’ was dragged into the surau’s prayer room”.

Ibrahim accused “This is the work of Satan who has succeeded in confusing those who claim to be religious but does not follow Islam”.

Rational Malaysians must recoil at the intemperate language and irresponsible imagery used by the Perkasa chief. Is he suggesting that Teo should be killed like Malcolm X?

Up to now there is no consensus on who was responsible for the assassination of Malcolm X in Manhattan’s Auduborn Ballroom in New York on February 2, 1965 but why was Malcolm X’s assassination raised in this context?

The invoking of Malcolm X’s assassination by Ibrahim Ali must be condemned in the strongest possible terms, as it goes against all that Malaysians want of a peaceful and harmonious plural Malaysian society and Prime Minister’s Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s inclusive 1Malaysia where Malaysians accept and not just tolerate the nation’s richest asset - our ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.

The Perkasa chief’s invocation of violence by citing the assassination of Malcolm X must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all Malaysians regardless of race or religion as it has gone beyond the pale of acceptable public discourse.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor