Bersih 4 protesters stoking racial fire, IGP claims
(Malay Mail Online) – Action will be taken against some of the Bersih 4 rally participants as they were “fanning racial fire” with their behaviour over the weekend, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.
The Inspector-General of Police said the act of a protester who had stomped on a picture of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang purportedly embracing each other, while burning incense was racist ― as it was a mockery to “dead Chinese prayers.”
He made the assertion to back his claim that the two-day pro-reform protests held over the weekend were aimed at stirring trouble, despite it taking place peacefully.
“Just look at the videos on the internet. People stomping on the pictures of leaders, impersonating dead Chinese prayers. Whose culture is this? Is this the kind of behaviour they want the young to follow?” Khalid said when addressing the press here.
“Do not ignite racial fire in any actions. These actions are fanning racial fire,” he added.
Khalid’s statement echoes the views of some Umno leaders who described the act of stepping on the images of Najib and Abdul Hadi as a Chinese insult against Malay leaders.
Critics replied by saying the accusations were clearly aimed at turning a protest with legitimate demands into a racial issue due to the large Chinese presence at the rally.
Bersih 4 took place over the weekend as a 34-hour rally which ended on Sunday midnight, ushering in National Day 2015.
The Bersih 2.0 steering committee have sought to distance the electoral reform group today from several individuals who had stepped on the posters.
It denied the action was part of its programme to demand institutional reforms from the government or to pressure for Najib’s resignation.
PAS had also condemned the matter multiple times on its Facebook page, posted by several of its prominent members, including PAS Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed.
Today, Khalid said action will be taken against the organisers.
