Muslim body urges leaders, royalty to condemn death threats
| Harakahdaily, | 25 June 2011 |
KUALA LUMPUR, Jun 25: A body representing Muslim professionals in the country has expressed outrage over the death threats on leaders of electoral reform group Bersih, calling on both political leaders and royalties to condemn such an act.
"The silence of the national leaders in the face of this racist and deplorable death threat is also cause for concern. All Malaysians who love this country must unequivocally condemn this dastardly and cowardly act of extreme provocation," said a statement by Muslim Professionals Forum.
"The royal houses whose existence depends on continued peace in Malaysia must also be in unison in unreservedly condemning this vicious threat to the very fabric of our pluralistic society," it added, responding to racist remarks and death threats targeted at Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan by parties opposed to the July 9 rally in Kuala Lumpur.
The statement, signed by MPF chariman Dr Mazeni Alwi among others, reminded that while rhetorics were part of democracy, it did not however mean one could resort to violence
"Regardless of one’s feelings about the correctness or otherwise of the planned gathering on 9 July 2011, nobody other than the insane or racial supremacist will be in agreement with the obnoxious wave of highly coordinated text messages aimed at Dato’ Ambiga and her like minded colleagues," it said.
GETTING PERSONAL ... Two middleaged supporters of Perkasa showing leaflets condemning Ambiga [pic courtesy of The Malaysian Insider]
UMNO's sister organisation Perkasa had earlier said it would gather its supporters on July 9 hoping to clash with the Bersih rally, which in 2007 attracted more than 50,000 people in the city.
Calling Ambiga a "dangerous Hindu woman", Perkasa leaders backed by pro-UMNO members of parliament also raised the spectre of a racial riot should organisers press on with the rally. This was followed later by a lengthy and racially-toned message to Ambiga's phone, threatening to kill her.
'Dereliction of duty'
Calling on the authorities to act, MPF warned that any failure to apprehend those behind the threats "will be dereliction of duty of the highest order" and would render the '1Malaysia' slogan meaningless.
"Unless genuine political will deals firmly with such racial supremacist provocations, the slogan 1Malaysia will paradoxically be long remembered as an era of 'heightened racial tension' and 'intense religious conflict'," it stressed.
L-R: Harun Taib, Asri Zainul Abidin and Dr Ahmad Farouk
Earlier, several other Muslim scholars and groups have condemned Perkasa over its racist comments, and said the Bersih rally had noble aims in line with Islam.
PAS Ulama head Harun Taib said it was a duty for Muslims to support any noble acts without taking into account differences in religion, race or political loyalty, saying it formed part of jihad.
“Even if such actions (in defending truth) are spearheaded by non-Muslims, supporting them is obligatory," he added.
He echoed remarks by former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin who said Islam encouraged peaceful rallies with good intentions such as Bersih's.
"The police should realise that the demands are good for the country and not only for the betterment of the people but also the police," said Asri, urging authorities to allow the rally to be held.
Earlier, Muslim youth empowerment group Islamic Renaissance Front pointed out that Muslim history was rife with instances of Islamic scholars speaking up against unjust leaders.
"Many were imprisoned as a result of their criticisms against rulers of their time. We are the inheritors of this tradition, which provides today’s Muslims with a storehouse of democratic ideas," IRF director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa told Harakahdaily, urging Malaysians to attend the Bersih rally.
Related:
Bersih's demands in line with Islam: PAS Ulama head