We are a volcano waiting to erupt over hate issues, Islamic coalition warns Malaysians
(TMI) – Politicians should be aware that issues involving the Malays should not be turned into jokes.
A coalition of conservative Malay-Muslim groups behind the “chicken and slap” protest against a lawmaker admitted to previous incidents and warned that they are a “volcano waiting to erupt” if political parties continue to incite racial hatred among Malaysians.
The Council of Islamic NGOs say they represent some 30 non-governmental organisations with 500,000 members nationwide and insisted their warnings – mainly directed at DAP – should not be taken lightly.
“The Malay culture is to stay silent. But just because we are quiet, it doesn’t mean we will give in all the time. Malays are like a volcano. Once it erupts, everything is broken,” coalition spokesman Zulkifly Sharif told The Malaysian Insider.
He accused DAP of stirring up racial emotions but the opposition party and civil society said it was not the Chinese or non-Malays who have incited hatred – pointing out groups linked to Umno and Umno-owned newspapers that have waged a hate campaign aimed at driving a wedge between Malaysians.
The coalition hit the spotlight after holding a demonstration earlier this month to protest against Seputeh MP Teresa Kok’s Chinese New Year video “Onederful Malaysia” by offering a reward to anyone who dared to slap the DAP lawmaker.
The also slaughtered two chicken and smeared the blood on a banner with faces of Chinese opposition leaders.
But this was not the first time the coalition has been in the centre of a racially charged demonstration.
Zulkifli admitted that several of its members were also involved in the cow-head demonstration in Shah Alam five years ago, a 2011 dispute over the azan volume in a Kampung Kerinchi mosque and the gathering outside the Court of Appeal last year during the “Allah” issue.
“We have been around for some time although we’re always in the background,” he said in the interview at a cafe in Istana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Zulkifly said the coalition applied a concept of brotherhood among NGOs, without any particular leader and is only managed by a secretariat of volunteers from various groups.
He also denied any political affiliations although Zulkifly himself is a member of a political party. He did not disclose which party.
“We act as a pressure group to the government, opposition or whoever who disrupts the peace of this country,” he added.
“The slap reward isn’t to injure her (Kok) but as a warning to her and everyone else,” he said, adding that the reward has now gone up to RM2,000 from its previous amount of RM1,200, although no one has come forward to claim the money yet.
“We are aware that critics have called us uncivilised but if we don’t do anything about it, there will be more racial problems and more insults hurled at Malays and royalty.”
