By Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang

The nation was first shocked by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s threats that Malaysia could see another bloody May 13 incident if no efforts were made to preserve inter-ethnic harmony, especially when Malays and Muslims continue to be insulted. The nation was shocked a second time when UMNO leaders, MCA President Liow Tiong Lai and Gerakan President Mah Siew Keong tried to whitewash Muhyiddin’s threats by callously and casually dismissing it as merely a reminder.

How can Muhyiddin threats’s of another May 13 incident be merely a reminder when he assigns blame only to non-Malays and non-Muslims by stating that Muslims and Malays continue to be insulted? Muhyiddin’s threats can only be considered a reminder if he does not single out any group or community. However, by identifying Muslims and Malays as the injured party by being continually insulted, Muhyiddin is clearly making a threat.

By implication, Muhyiddin is first dehumanizing non-Muslim and non-Malays because Muslims and Malays continue to be insulted as well as absolving BN from blame if there is to be death and violence in any future May 13 riots. Such inflammatory remarks by a Deputy Prime Minister is not only irresponsible but has only encouraged and empowered racist, extremist and right-wing hate groups like Perkasa and Isma.

Clearly Muhyiddin is only qualified to be a Deputy Prime Minister for bigots and extremists and not for all Malaysians – Malays, Indians, Chinese, Ibans and Kadazans, especially when Muhyiddin had earlier renounced Prime Minster Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s now discredited propaganda of 1 Malaysia by stressing that he is a Malay first and a Malaysian second.

UMNO leaders defending their Deputy Prime Minister, who can not show proof where is the provocation by non-Malay or non-Muslim groups against Malays and Muslims, is not surprising for such a racist party. However for Gerakan and MCA President to blindly defend the Deputy Prime Minister for such racist threats show that they are Ah Qs who value their Ministerial perks and privileges more than principles of truth, justice and human dignity.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had advised the non-Muslim and non-Malay community not to take seriously the racist and extremist remarks made by UMNO leaders because these are individual views and not representative of UMNO. Only statements made by UMNO President, Deputy President and Ministers represent UMNO. Here are remarks made both by Najib and Muhyiddin.

If that is the case, why does Najib appears to be endorsing the terrorist and murderous organization of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant(ISIL) by asking UMNO members to emulate the courage of ISIL fighters. To-date Najib has still not withdrawsn such remarks for UMNO members to have the courage of ISIL fighters known for suicide bombings that kill innocent civilians and children.

Similarly Muhyidin by singling out Malays and Muslims as being under threat because they continue to be insulted, non-Malays and non-Muslims are being unjustly blamed when they are the victims of the racist threats and provocations by small extremist groups like Perkasa and Isma. Both Liow Tiong Lai and Mah Siew Keong have nowhere to hide from their continued defence of an UMNO that is intolerant and disrespectful of non-Muslims and non-Malays.

The real threats to Malaysia is hunger, poverty, ignorance, corruption, cronyism, abuse of power, rising price and denying equal economic, employment and educational opportunities to ordinary Malaysians without political connections. UMNO and BN is willing to haunt Malaysia by putting national unity and harmony and risk by using the bogey of racism and extremism to maintain their grip on power.