Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 20^th July 2012: 

Najib/Hishammuddin should explain why they are “scraping the bottom of the barrel” in giving greenlight to Special Branch to go public with “cock and bull story”

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammmudin Hussein should explain why they are “scraping the bottom of the barrel” in giving the green light to the Special Branch to go public with the “cock and bull story” of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorists and former communists infiltrating Pakatan Rakyat parties and trying to be fielded as candidates in the coming general election.

The Bernama report yesterday of the “revelation” by the Special Branch assistant director of the E2(M) national social extremist threat division head Mohd Sofian Md Makinuddin at the National Young Leaders Convention in Parliament yesterday, claiming that JI elements were trying to infiltrate PAS while the communist elements were trying to infiltrate DAP, would have been laughed off and dismissed as the most sick and top political joke of the year if not for the gravity of having such wild, scatter-brained and crackpot ideas influencing and determining policy making at the highest government and security levels in the country.

With the resurrection of the Islamist terrorist and communist bogeys infiltrating the Pakatan Rakyat parties, is the stage being set for a special operation against the Pakatan Rakyat parties to remove the democratic and legitimate threat posed by Pakatan Rakyat to continued UMNO/Barisan Nasional hold on federal power in the 13th general election?

It is open secret that Najib would have dissolved Parliament to hold general elections before the start of the fasting month tomorrow if not for the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, which placed UMNO/Barisan Nasional in an even more adverse and disadvantageous position compounded by the most insensitive and high-handed government/police response which regarded salt and mineral water as capable of toppling the UMNO/BN government!

Have the UMNO/BN leadership become so desperate in the face of the democratic electoral challenge from Pakatan Rakyat that they have to get the Special Branch to conjure up the latest scare, “cock and bull story” of the JI and communists infiltrating Pakatan Rakyat parties, in particular PAS and DAP, to prepare for an undemocratic pre-emptive strike against the Pakatan Rakyat?

Or is this an attempt by the Special Branch establishment to justify its hogging of RM381 million or 6% of the 2012 police budget of RM6.3 billion when there is increasing demand that the police should be devoting more of its budget and resources to fighting crime and make Malaysia safe for Malaysians instead of just maintaining UMNO/BN hold on power after 54 years?

And why is the Biro Tatanegara of the Prime Minister’s Department involved in the one-day National Youth Convention to spread the lie and poison that Pakatan Rakyat parties are being infiltrated by JI terrorists and communists, when only last week, BTN was involved in the 1Malaysia Social Media Convention to raise an army of 10,000 UMNO/BN cybertroopers with the message that it was permissible to spin lies and falsehoods against the Pakatan Rakyat parties?

Is the Special Branch canard about JI terrorists and communists infiltrating Pakatan Rakyat parties the latest example of such permissible “spin” of lies and falsehoods against PR, just like the earlier “spins” of lies and falsehood about the DAP wanting to establish a Christian Malaysia and appoint a Christian Prime Minister as well as wanting to establish a republic by abolishing the constitutional monarchical system?

I challenge Najib, Hishammuddin and Mohd Sofian of the Special Branch to identify the present DAP and PR leaders, MPs and State Assembly members who are either closet JI terrorists or communists or name names of those who have “infiltrated” the PR parties “trying to be fielded as candidates in the coming general election”.

If not, Mohd Sofian should withdraw and apologise for such a serious and baseless allegation or he should face disciplinary action and even be sacked for making a most irresponsible statement unbecoming of a public servant whose topmost priority must be to serve the nation and not the political party currently in power.

Najib and Hishammuddin should also answer these questions. The Home Minister in particular should also tell Malaysian taxpayers when the Special Branch was officially recruited to be part of UMNO/BN propaganda machinery to help in its 13th general election campaign to hold on federal power!

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