Ramasamy tells Asri he has no right to tell voters to reject Hindraf

(FMT) – DAP leader P Ramasamy today told Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin he has no right to tell voters to reject Hindraf candidates if they are fielded in the coming general election.

Ramasamy said: “Despite his progressive stand on some issues, I don’t understand why Asri wants to influence voters against Hindraf. Personal opinions should not be confused with public positions especially when the country is facing the general election.”

He asked if Asri, in calling for the boycott of Hindraf, was telling voters, especially Indians, to support the Barisan Nasional.

He added in a statement: “Asri might be influential among some sections of Muslims in the country, but he has no right to tell the voters in the country who they should vote and who they should not.” 

Asri, in a short Facebook post, said Hindraf was a threat to the nation and religion, and their candidates should be rejected, adding: “Whichever party makes them a candidate, that party is a threat to the peace that the country has had all this long.” Asri has been on a warpath with Hindraf over the Indian rights group’s opposition to controversial preacher Zakir Naik of India.

“In fact, I don’t understand how he could support Naik when the authorities in India have already filed their papers for his extradition from the country.”

Naik is wanted for questioning by authorities in India over allegations of spreading inter-religious hatred and money laundering. Naik, who has denied the charges but has refused to return to India to face the authorities, has Malaysian permanent resident status and has often been seen in Malaysia.

Ramasamy said Asri was unhappy with Hindraf and others for filing a suit against Naik’s presence in Malaysia and asking for his deportation.

He said Asri was a good religious scholar but he had no right to question the right of Pakatan Harapan (PH) to field anyone, including Hindraf members, as candidates, adding that whether PH would allocate seats to Hindraf remained to be seen.

“The question of fielding or not fielding Hindraf candidates is a matter that needs to be sorted by the top leadership of PH and its chairman Mahathir Mohamad.

“Mahathir thinks Hindraf is an asset to PH and that seems to be the consensus of other parties like the DAP, PKR, Amanah and PPBM. So if the top leadership can support Hindraf, who is Asri to call for the boycott of Hindraf?

“In calling for the boycott of Hindraf, is Asri telling Malaysians that Indians should support the BN? Is he afraid that without Indian support BN would not form the next government in Putrajaya?”