Media Statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 25^th January 2010: 

Najib should set a two-week deadline to resolve the “Allah” controversy to salvage his 1Malaysia slogan and to defuse the latest factor driving away Malaysian talents and FDIs

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should set a two-week deadline to resolve the “Allah” controversy to salvage his 1Malaysia slogan and to defuse the latest factor driving away Malaysian talents and FDIs.

The Police are to be commended for their quick arrests in connection with four arson attacks on churches and suraus and Malaysians hope that the police can expeditiously resolve all the 15 cases of arson and vandalism against places of worship in the first three weeks of the year since the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment on the “Allah” controversy on Dec. 31 last year.

Right from the beginning, this controversy had been mishandled by the authorities, in particular the political leadership, who have failed to fully realize the negative impact and far-reaching consequences of the issue to the country.

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, for instance, should stop play politics on the issue and not allow his political role as Umno leader to wrongly influence his professional judgment and other aspects of his duties as Home Minister.

For instance, Hishammuddin said in Kuala Terengganu on Friday that the arson attacks on churches and suraus in the country could be attempts to undermine the 1Malaysia vision.

However, he contradicted himself yesterday when he said that the four arsonists arrested in connection with the arson attempts at two suraus in Muar were “simply seeking public attention” and had acted on their own.

Such flip-flops and self-contradictions by the Home Minister, together with other earlier instances of his mishandling of the controversy, are not calculated to inspire public confidence in his competence and professionalism to fully realize the full and far-reaching consequences of the “Allah” controversy.

The Cabinet Ministers have so far proved to be great disappointments in ensuring that there is quick and satisfactory solution to the “Allah” controversy in keeping with the 1Malaysia concept.

The Cabinet on Wednesday should not continue to disappoint the country and should give full support for a two-week deadline to resolve the “Allah” controversy without prolonging the issue, which can only drive away more Malaysians overseas as well as foreign investors, tourists and students apart from delivering a fatal blow to Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan and concept.

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