Seditious article: UMNO Youth President
Datuk Hishammuddin should not dodge the real issue
Media Statement
by Kerk Kim Hock
(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday):
Two days ago, I have said that
unless Umno Youth agrees, supports and endorses the seditious statements by
Dr Adham Baba calling for the closure of the Chinese primary schools and
unless also that the Umno Youth wing is prepared to assume total
responsibility for the statements, Umno Youth chief Datuk Hisahammuddin
Hussein must remove the statements from the UMNO Youth website.
I have said that Adham Baba's statements, which have appeared on the UMNO
Youth website in a November 13 report titled " Prejudis Melampau Cauvinis
Pendidikan Cina, Kerajaan Di Gesa Tutup Semua SJKC ",. have also hurt the
feelings of the Chinese community.
I am disappointed to read in the New Straits Times today that Hishammuddin
has remarked that " DAP Youth's police report was politically motivated and
that if DAPSY was sincere, it should have lodged a police report against
Dong Jiao Zong ".
Clearly, Hishammuddin is not prepared to face the real issue --- that Dr
Adham Baba's statements have violated the 1948 Sedition Act and have also
hurt the feelings of the Chinese community.
As a young leader of Umno and a the Minister in charge of youth affairs in
the country, Hishammuddin must be courageous enough to lead by example and
display the political maturity and rationality required of him.
In an article titled " Cina DAP Hasut MCA Jangan Setuju Guna Bahasa Inggeris
" that appeared on the UMNO on line, while commenting on the government's
proposal of teaching Mathematics and Science subjects in English, Umno
Kelantan Pasir Mas Division chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali, has made baseless and
malicious allegations against the Chinese community and Chinese teachers.
I had lodged a police report on 10.10.2002 and had subsequently complained
to the Umno Headquarters. If Umno Headquarters, after having received my
complaints, could remove the seditious article titled " Cina DAP Hasut MCA
Jangan Setuju Guna Bahasa Inggeris " from the Umno website, why cannot
Hisahamuddin bow to reason and rationality and remove the seditious
statements from Umno Youth website?
He should also realise that it is politically unwise and arrogant to try to
defend what is obviously wrong and unacceptable, most of all, hurt the
feelings of the Chinese community.
I do not intend to ask Dr Adham Baba to retract his statements or apologise
for his remarks. He must be prepared to face the laws for making such
uncalled for remarks which have clearly violated the 1948 Sedition Act.
I also wish to remind Adham Baba that if he wishes to stand by his
statements, then he must really be prepared to face the laws. He should not
hope to avoid any prosecution by claiming that he was prepared to "cooperate
with the authorities".
I wish once again remind Hishaamuddin of the 1971 case involving the Utusan
Melayu which was found guilty of sedition for carrying a report with the
subheading " Hapuskan Sekolah -Sekolah Beraliran Tamil atau China di Negeri
Ini.
The 1948 Sedition Act does not only provide for prosecution of an individual
who has violated the Act, it also provides that the media or organisation
carrying the seditious report to be responsible.
(20/11/2002)
*
Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for
Kota Melaka
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