DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang (picture) has called on Malaysians to condemn today’s arson attacks on two suraus in Johor and put a stop to the ongoing “madness” of attacks on houses of worship believed to be linked to the controversial “Allah” ruling.
Police had found traces of kerosene at the Sirratulrahim Surau in Kampung Sabak Awor, Jalan Ismail which had a window and curtains burnt, while the Parit Beting surau suffered worse damage. Both the suraus are in Muar.
“Malaysians regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or region must condemn these two surau arson attacks in Muar in the strongest possible terms,” Lim said in a statement.
Nine churches, a mosque, a surau, a Sikh temple and a convent school have been damaged by fire, paint or stones since Jan 8.
“Many Malaysians are dismayed by the conduct of the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, as he is blamed not only for allowing the situation to get out of hand (by allowing the) demonstrations on sensitive religious issues.
“He has also failed to deliver his assurance that “the situation is under control” which had been repeatedly marred by the spate of arson and vandalism of places of worship in various states,” Lim said.
Lim, who is Ipoh Timur MP, also blasted the prime minister and his deputy for their absence during the time of the crisis.
Both were overseas for work at the time the tension over the High Court ruling that allowed Catholic weekly to use “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia edition was at its height.
Lim said with the latest spate of arson against the two suraus in Muar, the time has come for more proactive response in the part of the government
“(This is so) that the country does not continue to suffer adverse international publicity detrimental to the national effort to attract foreign investors, tourists and students.”
One of the major proposals made by the opposition and NGOs to resolve the ongoing “Allah” conflict and other sensitive issues pertaining to religion is the formation of an Inter-Religious Council.
But the government have so far been slow to respond to such calls and Lim said this snail-paced response poses a “a serious and irremediable setback for the 1Malaysia slogan and policy of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.”
Lim said the failure of Najib’s Cabinet to address the issue in its meeting yesterday reflected the government’s lack of political will to resolve a conflict which has polarised the nation.
“If an Inter-Religious Council cannot be formed now to resolve the Allah controversy, then there is no way such a council could be revived under the Barisan Nasional (government).
“Although it was first established by Tunku in the first decades of nationhood – (this marks) a serious and irreparable damage to Najib’s 1 Malaysia slogan,” Lim added.
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