Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 16^th May 2011: 

UMNO's refusal to act against Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali's incendiary crusade against Christians confirms UMNO's protection and support for Perkasa 

UMNO's refusal to act against Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali's incendiary crusade against Christians by reason that Perkasa does not represent all Malays confirms UMNO's protection and support for Perkasa to incite hatred against Christians and create enmity amongst peace-loving Malaysians. This is a weak excuse by UMNO because if action is only taken based on the strength of your representation not the nature and ill-intent of your violence, why then act against terrorists because they also do not represent all the Malays?

This latest justification by Minister of Home Affairs Datuk Sri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Onn why no action is taken against Ibrahim Ali only confirms that Perkasa is UMNO's alter-ego. When Ibrahim Ali launched his crusade against Christians in Gombak organised by the Komuniti 1Malaysia group of Kampung Kerdas and Kampung Changkat in Gombak, Umno Gombak chief Abdul Rahman Kamaruddin, his deputy, Abdul Aziz Jantan, and division information chief Ismail Ahman was also there to lend their support.

Ibrahim Ali had justified his crusade on the false accusations by Utusan Malaysia that the Christians "challenged the sovereignty and dignity of Malays and Muslims." by wanting to form a Christian state and appointing a Christian Prime Minister. The failure of the Home Ministry to act sternly against Utusan for printing this dangerous lie has only emboldened extremists like Ibrahim Ali who now wants to launch a holy war or crusade against Christians.

This dangerous lie by Utusan Malaysia has given a golden opportunity to extremists like Ibrahim Ali to make Christians the object of hate and incite enmity amongst Malaysians. Hishamuddin even went one step further in defending Perkasa and Ibrahim Ali by refusing to brand Ibrahim Ali an extremist for calling for a crusade against Christians! Just imagine if any Christian had called for a crusade against Muslims, he or she would have been arrested immediately.

Ibrahim Ali had also declared his loyalty to UMNO and his meetings with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. How much more evidence do we need to show that UMNO and Perkasa is one and the same to entrench Malay support for UMNO to win the next general elections?

There is no point for other BN component parties such as Gerakan or MCA to make press statements only in the non-Malay media asking for action against Ibrahim Ali when they know that none will be taken. So far no Gerakan or MCA Ministers have dared to press for a Cabinet decision insisting that Cabinet acts firmly against racists and extremists seeking to burn one Malaysia with this dangerous lies.

DAP calls on all peace-loving Malaysian regardless of race and religion to unite against such extremists who dare to use the language of violence because of inaction or even tacit support by the BN government. All of us should pray regardless of our faith that truth will prevail and peace maintained in our beloved country.

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan