Press Statement by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in Komtar, George Town on 25 February 2014
In yet another episode of a sustained campaign of hate and intimidation against freedom and public order, the Malaysiakini office in Bangsar Utama, Kuala Lumpur was attacked with red paint and a package containing a duck carcass and a photo of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok taped on it.
This comes hot on the heels of other similar attacks on Teresa Kok. Last week, her office was splashed with red paint and a dead chicken. Previously, a group of self-proclaimed Muslim NGOs not only demonstrated against her, but even offered a bounty of RM 1,200 to anyone who can slap her and record the incident on video. According to Malaysiakini, all these incidents are believed to be linked to Teresa’s controversial political satire video clip entitled “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014.”
Numerous police reports have been lodged, and although many of these incidents including the threat to harm Teresa took place publicly and were recorded by the media, no action has been taken on the culprits. The Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi has regrettedly condoned the threats of violence against a woman by stating that no wrong has been done and refusing to act against these merchants of hate and violence.
This is exactly the case in Penang as well, where the last few weeks has seen a series of vitriolic episodes beginning with demonstrations by UMNO leaders and supporters in Seberang Jaya, in which threats to repeat May 13 were made, provocative banners put up in front of churches, Molotov cocktails (fire bombs) thrown into a church compound, a police station in Bukit Tengah was fire-bombed and the desecration of a mosque with meat in Bukit Mertajam.
In addition, there have also been false allegations that Malay Bibles were being distributed to Malay children in a school in George Town, and that the Penang state government is planning to ban Friday sermons. Although the allegations have been proven to be false and unsubstantiated, no action has been taken against those propagating these lies.
This passive stance by the authorities has emboldened the merchants of hate and violence, and we can be assured that their campaign of intimidation will not cease until and unless action is taken to stem it immediately. Malaysians demand that Home Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi condemns and act against those responsible instead of condoning their campaign of violence and hate or else the people’s wrath at such injustice shall be expressed peacefully and democratically in general elections and by-elections.
LIM GUAN ENG
—–Mandarin Version —–
槟州首席部长林冠英于2014年2月25日在光大乔治市发表声明：
除非那些仇恨及暴力的最魁祸首受到对付，否则《当今大马》所遭遇的攻击不会停止。
《当今大马》位于吉隆坡孟沙的办公室，今早遭人恶意泼红漆和放置装有活鸭的纸盒，纸盒上还有一张士布爹区国会议员郭素沁的照片。
这是继在民主行动党士布爹区国会议员郭素沁服务中心遭人泼红漆、置死鸡之后的另一起攻击事件。之前，一群自称是穆斯林非政府组织人士不只向她示威，甚至悬赏1200令吉给那些能够掌掴她并录影的人士 。据《当今大马》报道，相信这些事件与郭素沁的政治嘲讽剧《马来犀利啊！》有关。
很多人已经报警，虽然这些事件包括有关人士公然威胁伤害郭素沁、并由媒体报道，但是，至今没有人被对付。令人遗憾的是，内政部长拿督斯里查希竟然纵容如此威胁一名女人的暴力行为，他还说并没有人做错事，也没对付这种仇恨和暴力行为。
这正好发生在槟城，过去几个星期发生了一连串的恶意攻击事件，包括威省巫统及支持者发动示威，扬言发起另一个513、在基督教堂附近张挂煽动性布条、向基督教堂范围投掷燃料弹、武吉丁雅警察局被炸、槟城清真寺门口遭人丢掷疑似猪肉的肉块。
接着，有人假造消息，谎称乔治市内学校派发马来圣经给马来学生，甚至谎称槟州政府拟禁周五祈祷。虽然事后已经证实上述消息纯属虚构及不实，但是，当局并没有对付那些造谣的人。
当局被动的姿态让这些挑起仇恨、暴力的人士更加放肆，我们可以确信，他们将会继续姿意妄为，除非当对马上采取严厉的行动去对付他产。马来西亚人要求内政部长拿督斯里查希谴责及采取行动，而不是纵容这种鼓吹暴力及仇恨的活动，否则人们将在来届大选或补选中，以和平及民主的手段，表达他们对种种不正义事件的愤怒。
林冠英