The Star Malaysia

BN condemns Red Shirts

BN leaders condemn Jamal and Red Shirts over violence and threat

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Barisan leaders urge police to probe assault on two motorcycli­sts.

PETALING JAYA: The Red Shirts and their leader Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunus may think that violence is the way forward but not Barisan Nasional leaders.

They demand action taken against the Sungai Besar Umno division chief and his supporters for assaulting two motorcycli­sts in Bersih T-shirts last Saturday.

“I am very concerned over the violence,” Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, urging police to probe the incident immediatel­y.

The MCA president condemned Jamal and the Red Shirts action, saying “nobody can take the law into their own hands”.

His deputy Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong concurred, saying MCA did not subscribe to hooliganis­m and barbaric acts.

Even Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is angry, saying Jamal and the Red Shirts’ violent acts were “unacceptab­le”.

Saturday’s incident occurred when a convoy of Bersih supporters passed through Sabak Bernam. The altercatio­n, captured on video, involved two motorcycli­sts being pelted with eggs.

One was kicked twice by the Red Shirt protesters.

“What the group did was against the law,” said Dr Wee. “We do not believe that violence can solve anything – and we condemn any form of violence against anyone.

“We live in a civilised society and we should carry ourselves that way. You may disagree with someone and their beliefs, but violence is never the solution.”

Khairy also called on the police to take action against the perpetrato­rs.

“I absolutely cannot accept these violent actions,” he told reporters at the Asics Badminton Championsh­ip 2016 finals yesterday.

Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong did not mince his words in condemning the incident.

Action, he said, should be taken against anyone who sparked racial and religious tension even if they were supporters of the ruling government.

“There are people who want to become racial heroes,” he said. “They become what some people say oo hood (“manly” in Hokkien slang). But to me its bull****!”

Police confirmed that they were tracking down the suspects in Saturday’s incident.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said “firm and immediate action” would be taken against Jamal over his Facebook posting.

The Red Shirts leader allegedly threatened a repeat of the May 13 tragedy (the violence that erupted in Malaysia in 1969) should Bersih 5’s planned demonstrat­ion be allowed to take place.

The post read: “I promise that there will be a repeat of May 13 tragedy, and parang will fly, if Bersih 5 is allowed to carry out its gathering as planned on Nov 19.”

However, Jamal denied posting the threat on his Facebook page, claiming that the earlier warning was not his but by someone who used a fake Facebook account.

He even went on to accuse the DAP of creating the false account.

Incidently, Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah also filed a suit against Jamal for another accusation – linking Bersih with the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

Maria claimed that Jamal’s accusation was slanderous when he uttered the claim at a Putra World Trade Centre press conference on Sept 28.

There are people who want to become racial heroes. They become what some people say oo hood (‘manly’ in Hokkien slang). But to me its bull****. Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong

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