DAP seditious for calling Muhyiddin seditious, says Malay group
(MM) – The DAP’s claim that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was seditious for allegedly blaming non-Muslims for an increase in anti-Islam sentiments falls foul of the same law and threatens national harmony, the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) said today.
The coalition of Malay rights groups defended the deputy prime minister from what it called provocation aimed at dividing the Malays, adding that Muhyiddin, as a Muslim leader, had every right to speak up amid purported attempts by “certain quarters” to incite religious tension.
“In a situation where Islam is constantly insulted and threatened, not only in Malaysia, of course a Muslim leader like the (deputy prime minister) to express his concern over a trend that should not be allowed to spread, especially in the country.
“He has the right to criticise,” the group said in a statement.
A task force has been set up to study the contents of some of the speeches made by the DAP leaders that the coalition deemed seditious, added MPM.
“We are taking this action because there are signs that the provocations are premeditated and there is a continuous attempt to divide the Muslims and Islam in Malaysia”.
The group, however, gave no evidence to support its allegations.
The DAP recently reported Muhyiddin for alleged sedition, claiming the deputy prime minister had hurt non-Muslims when he allegedly accused them of insulting Islam.
“This shows that there is no deep understanding within society. Muslims do not insult the religion of non-Muslims such as Christianity and Hinduism.
“But non-Muslims are insulting our religion,” news agency Bernama and state-linked English daily New Straits Time quoted him as saying.
DAP leaders claimed the statement was made in reference to a recent controversy of an online video featuring a Muslim dog trainer.
The three-year old clip, showing the Muslim woman bathing her three dogs at the back of a Hari Raya prayer, sparked an uproar among Muslim conservatives and drew accusation that it was intended to insult Islam. The dog owner denied the allegation.
But two days ago, Muhyiddin denied he had referred to non-Muslims or to the video as reported by the two media outfits.
Bernama subsequently corrected the quote attributed to Muhyiddin to now say: “Certain parties have belittled and mocked our religion lately and hopefully it will not persist as to cause tension, as what is happening in other Islamic countries.”
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng then called on the government to act sternly on Bernama and New Straits Time for publishing false news.
