Datuk Paul Low, President of Transparency International Malaysia, has recently come forward to state clearly and unequivocally that there was no pact or pledge between Christian and DAP leaders, or anyone else for that matter, on the evening of May 5 or at any other time during the Unashamedly Ethical Conference in Penang.
As an invited guest speaker, he was a witness to the entire night’s proceedings, and as an upstanding man of the community and president of the anti-graft body Transparency International Malaysia, he is as reliable a witness as any.
Therefore, this confirms that the seditious report carried by Utusan on its front-page entitled ‘Kristian Agama Rasmi’ that claimed a conspiracy between Christians and the DAP to replace Islam with Christianity as the official religion and to install a Christian Prime Minister is nothing more than an unsubstantiated and malicious lie.
In light of Datuk Paul Low’s statement, the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein must now take firm action against the UMNO-owned paper, which has so far been let off with a measly warning letter.
Such a light action does not befit the severity of the transgression, as the Utusan’s irresponsible reporting has caused much confusion and incited racial and religious misgivings amongst Malaysians. Most notably, it was the catalyst for Ibrahim Ali’s call for a crusade or holy war against Christians. I am sure that anyone would agree the repercussions have been extremely damaging to the fabric of Malaysian society.
Therefore, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin has no choice but to initiate stern and severe action on the newspaper, so as to send a clear signal that the BN Government upholds their supposedly 1Malaysian spirit of peace and harmony across all races and religions.
It is only by taking a firm stand and meting out appropriate punishment to the Utusan Malaysia, would Malaysians be able to close this sorry chapter and move forward together in peace and harmony.
PRESS STATEMENT BY DAP SECRETARY-GENERAL AND MP FOR BAGAN LIM GUAN ENG IN KUALA LUMPUR 19.05.2011
———- Chinese Translation————–
民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2011年5月19日在吉隆坡发表声明：
马来西亚国际透明组织主席拿督刘胜权，最近挺身而出，清楚地说明于5月5日在槟城举行的“伦理荣耀研讨会”中，无论是基督徒与行动党领袖或其他人之间，没有任何人建议把基督教变成官方宗教，或要基督徒当首相的誓言或协定。
刘胜权当晚是受邀成为主讲人，他是当晚研讨会的证人，也是社会上德高望众的名人，也是国际透明组织的主席，可以说是可靠的证人。
由此可以证明，《马来西亚前锋报》在煽动性封面报道《基督教为国教》谎称“基督徒与行动党共谋，要把基督教变成官方宗教，并让基督徒出任首相”是无中生有、恶意制造的谎言。
既然拿督刘胜权已经发表声明，内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁必须马上采取行动，对付巫统所属的报纸，而不是用一封警告信就轻率地放过它。
如此轻微的对付行动完全与不符合《前锋报》所犯下的罪行，《前锋报》那种不负责任的报道已经导致混乱，挑起了马来西亚人民之间的种族与宗教猜疑情绪。值得注意的是，它已经成为依布拉欣阿里号召人们发动圣战对付基督徒的催化剂。我肯定任何人都会同意，他的反应已经极度严重地破坏了马来西亚的社会结构。
因此，拿督斯里希山慕丁别无选择，他必须采取严厉及严格的行动，向国阵传达明确的讯息，要他们捍卫一个马来西亚各种族、各宗教的和平及和谐共处的精神。
唯有坚持立场，适当地惩罚《前锋报》，马来西亚人民才可以告别这种悲哀的局面，共同迈向和平与和谐。
林冠英