Call on the PM to speak up and lead the battle of the moderates against the extremists

Yesterday, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang asked the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to take a stand on whether he is with the moderates or the extremists.

Parts of his statement read as follows:-

“.. yesterday saw the fulmination of the most and worst seditious statements in recent memory – as testified by the following media headlines:

1. Isma: Chinese migration into Tanah Melayu ‘a mistake” which must be rectified (MMO)
2. Chinese are intruders who bully Malays, says Isma (Malaysiakini)
3. Chinese brought to Tanah Melayu are ‘trepassers’, says Muslim group (TMI)
4. If Christians continue to grow, they will outnumber us by 2100, says Muslim group (TMI)
5. Undercover Christian priests here as football coaches, Muslim NGOs tell foum (TMI)
6. Books warning Muslims about ‘Christian agenda’ distributed at Allah forum in university (TMI)
7. Gospels are ‘fake’ as Jesus was ‘human slave to Allah’, don claims (MMO)
8. NGO warns of Christian Malays posting as Muslims (Mkini)

Never before in recent times for over four decades, have the fabric and integrity of the multi-racial and multi-religious character of the Malaysian nation been undermined by such irresponsible spewing of racial and religious hatred and conflict, threatening to plunge Malaysia into a new dark age.”

Will the Prime Minister continue to keep silent, like how he has been behaving on various past issues and incidents when he ought to have come out with strong voice of disapproval against the extremists?

I suspect that the Prime Minister will choose to remain silent and it will be most disappointing and even irresponsible if he continues to do so. He has the responsibility to preserve harmony in the country.

It is time that he must not only openly express his disagreement with the extremists but also lead the “battle” against such extremists.

In February, when touching on the issue of extremists, Najib said:-

“If you want to preserve the harmony of this country, don’t let these instigators overpower us!”

Malaysians must be united and speak up against the extremists. I call on the Prime Minister to speak up and lead the battle of the moderates against the extremists.