2011 Penang Wesak Day Message By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 16.5.2011
Wesak Day is celebrated by wishing blessings not just for Buddhists but for all mankind including Muslims, Christians and Hindus. Praying for peace and harmony, prosperity and justice, public accountability and good governance is not enough. Malaysians must also act by speaking up together that as we see each other as Malaysian brothers and sisters who firmly reject hatred, unequivocally abhor extremists and universally condemn violence.
Penangites are very concerned at the specific targeting of the Christian community with dangerous lies by the UMNO-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia that DAP and Christian priests want to set up a Christian state and appoint a Christian Prime Minister. Instead of taking action against Utusan Malaysia for spreading such dangerous lies, the BN government and Home Ministry has allowed these dangerous lies to continue until Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali is launching a crusade against Christians.
This threat of violence and war is anathema to all peace-loving Malaysians. By failing to take firm action against Ibrahim Ali for his threats of a crusade, the 1 Malaysia slogan of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is empty and meaningless to be used only to mislead Malaysians for votes.
The time has come for Malaysians to stand up for peace and step out with each other on the common principle that no one should be discriminated based on race or religion. Just because of the colour of his skin, everything he does is wrong. Just because of the gods she pray, every lie said against her is justified. This is not only unacceptable to all moral and religious teachings, it is inhumane as well.
Even though Christians and not Buddhists are targeted by UMNO and Utusan Malaysia this time, what is there to stop Budhhists and Hindus from being the next targets in future. Remember the famous quotation by the anti-Nazi and prominent Protestant pastor Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) who said:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out —
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me
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
———– Chinese Translation ————-
槟州首长林冠英于2011年5月16日在乔治市光大发表的卫塞节献词：
为众生祈福的卫塞节不只是佛教徒的节日，而是全人类的节日，包括穆斯林、基督教徒及兴都教徒。然而，单单祈求和平及和祥、繁荣及公正、公共问责及良政是不足够的。马来西亚人民也应该坐言起行，把彼此视为兄弟姐妹，共同坚决抗拒仇恨，明确地憎恶极端份子以及共同谴责暴力行为
槟城人民非常关注由巫统喉舌《马来西亚前锋报》制造的危险谎言，指责民主行动党以及基督教牧师企图建立基督国，以及委任基督首相，将基督教社群指定目标的事件。国阵政府及内政部非但没有对散播危险谎言的《前锋报》采取行动，反而是允许该报章继续散播谎言，直到土著权威组织的依布拉欣阿里欲向基督徒发动圣战。
这种含有暴力及战争的威胁，对所有爱好和平的马来西亚人而言是一项诅咒。无法对威胁要发动圣战的依布拉欣阿里采取严厉行动，首相拿督斯里纳吉倡导的“1个马来西亚”口号根本就是用来误导马来西亚人民以捞取选票的空谈兼没有意义的口号。
马来西亚人民是时候为了和平站起来，为了共同原则并肩走出来，没有任何人应该基于种族或宗教而被歧视。不能因为他的肤色，所做的任何事情都是错的。不能因为她所信仰上帝，任何抛向她的谎言都可以被合理化。这不只是不被所有道德及宗教教义所接受，更是不人道的。
虽然这次被巫统及《前锋报》盯中的目标是基督教徒而非佛教徒，但我们能够如何阻止佛教徒及兴都教徒，以不成为这些人未来的下一个目标？谨记反纳粹的新教牧师马丁尼莫拉（1892-1984）的名言：
起初他们抓共产主义者，我没说什么
因为我不是共产主义者
然后他们抓社会主义者，我没说什么
因为我不是社会主义者
再然后他们抓工会会员，我没说什么
因为我不是一个工会会员
然后他们抓犹太人了，我没说什么
因为我不是犹太人
最后他们来抓我，
已经没剩下什么人为我说些什么了
民主行动党呼吁所有爱好和平的马来西亚人，不分种族及宗教地团结在一起来反抗得到国阵默许支持及护航而使用语言暴力的极端分子。我们大家都应该不分信仰地祈祷，那就是真理必胜及和平将留存在我们亲爱的祖国。
林冠英