Ex-chief justice a liar, racist and extremist, says Guan Eng
(The Malaysian Insider) – Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has hit out at a former chief justice for claiming that Islam was under threat in the state, calling the latter a “liar, racist and an extremist”.
In slamming Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad, Lim said that the state has allocated more funds to Muslims for their activities compared with the previous Barisan Nasional administration.
“This ex-CJ has exposed himself to be a racist, an extremist and a liar. He said that we are neglecting Islam but he is blind to fact that we have increased allocations for them.
“In fact, we have given more to Muslims than BN ever did, so much so that Gerakan attacked us for giving so much to Muslims. Yet, at the same time, Umno attacks us for neglecting Islam,” he said today.
He said although Gerakan and Umno were in the BN coalition together, they had been inconsistent in their accusations against the Penang government, proving that this was politically motivated.
“Why is there a contradiction? Gerakan says we give too much and Umno says otherwise.”
Hamid had said, in a speech obtained from his website, that the position of Islam as the official religion of the federation was under threat in Penang, adding that many non-Muslims wanted their own religions to be granted the same status.
“A former Penang mufti told me that it was hard to get allocations for Islamic activities in the state, as leaders of the other religions also ask for the same rights,” Hamid had said.
Hamid said the mufti also informed him that at the opening ceremony of a building by the deputy chief minister, prayers were recited by a Christian priest, a Hindu priest and imam of the state mosque.
Lim said Hamid’s accusations were “not based on facts”.
He said that the building Hamid had mentioned belonged to a non-governmental organisation.
“But what is so wrong for leaders from three religions to come and offer their prayers? If it were wrong, the imam wouldn’t have come.
“I saw the same thing happening when (US President Barack) Obama came here or even in other countries where all religions come to pray together.”
He said Deputy Chief Minister Prof P. Ramasamy was a guest at the opening ceremony, which was also attended by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.
