GAMIS & PAS MP threaten violence

MM Online:

May 13 may recur as long as Dong Zong still around, Muslim students’ group warns

BY RADZI RAZAK

General view of the Dong Jiao Zong building in Kajang August 14, 2019 — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — The Malaysian Muslim Students Coalition (Gamis) has warned today that the bloody riots of May 13, 1969 may return as long as Chinese educationist group Dong Zong still exists.

In a statement, its president Saifullah Baiduri urged the Home Ministry and police to ban the Chinese group, accusing it of opposing nationalistic government policies that work towards unity.

“Dong Zong is an organisation that becomes a pus within the nation’s unity, and sows anti-nationalistic doctrines among the Chinese community,” he said.

“As long as this organisation is still in power, the authorities seem to be allowing the black history of May 13, 1969 to recur,” he added.

This referred to the race riots which occurred from May 13 to July 31, 1969, which claimed the lives of 196 people even though certain quarters estimated the number to be higher.

It is reported that the tragedy, which occurred after the country’s third general election, had also left 6,000 people homeless and at least 211 vehicles and 753 buildings damaged or destroyed by fire.

[ AYUH BERSAMA DONG ZONG, ULANGI PERISTIWA 13 MEI 1969 ] 

1. Gabungan Mahasiswa Se-Malaysia (GAMIS) mengecam sekeras-kerasnya kebiadapan pertubuhan pelampau Dong Zong Yang meneruskan demonstrasi bantahan tulisan khat & jawi pada 28 Disember ini. pic.twitter.com/51xtIIqqNS— gamisofficial (@GamisMalaysia) December 24, 2019

Saifullah also called for all students regardless of race and religion to speak against Dong Zong until the organisation is banned.

“Gamis strongly states that Dong Zong’s racist act clearly violates Article 152 of the Federal Constitution and that its implications will create chaos and create racial tension,” he said.

Article 152 states that “the national language shall be the Malay language”.

The statement came after Dong Jiao Zong insisted that it go ahead with its closed-door Chinese Organisation Congress this Saturday with the aim of convincing the government to rescind its decision on teaching the Jawi script in vernacular schools.

Gamis’ remark today is similar to a leader from Islamist party PAS, who earlier this week urged the police to step in and stop the Chinese Organisation Congress from going ahead to avoid a repeat of the 2017 riots at the Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple in Subang Jaya.

Kuala Nerus MP Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali had also called on the Ministry of Home Affairs to deregister the Dong Jiao Zong Chinese education group under the Societies Act 1966.

Dong Jiao Zong’s congress is set to be followed by another one on Sunday by a group called Gabungan Seni Khat Action Team, which also opposes the teaching of jawi script in vernacular schools.

In August, the Education Ministry confirmed that it would still introduce khat calligraphy as part of the Bahasa Melayu Year Four subject next year as scheduled.

I read this article twice, initially on MM Online and subsequently over at RPK's Malaysia-Today. I left a comment at Malaysia-Today stating (following is hopefully slightly improved version, wakakaka):

I've to say I am disappointed with GAMIS and PAS' Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali for sprouting the same old narrative of threats of violence a la May 13. Some years back, the same narrative would be accompanied with the waving of the red book of May 13 and words like "don't stir the sarang tebuan".

Is this the sum of Malay mentality when ire-d, the limit of GAMIS and PAS' intellectualism, namely, to perpetuate violence to get their way? School and village bullies do that.

GAMIS and PAS should grow up and start thinking laterally or more liberally, especially PAS as it considers itself an Islamic Party though I see little of Islam's compassion and tolerance from PAS.

'Tis said that Prophet Mohamad pbuh said:

"None of you truly believes [in Islam] until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."

Don't be like the Yanks or Israelis, which has been why Palestinians, Iraqis, etc are suffering. Don't be pawns to powerful selfish politicians' game plans. For us Malaysian, don't give rise to a situation when another Ops Lalang may be invoke.

The original Ops Lalang was the draconian oppression of our society, said to be the sinister plan of one man. It came after the tumultuous UMNO party elections in 1987, in which the party leadership was split. Coincidence?

Be wise to politicians' Machiavellian moves as had happened in Ops Lalang, which many had said was designed to oppress-control political opponents through the ISA, to assault the 'uncooperative' Judiciary  and the press. Yes, the Home Ministry withdrew the printing licences of four newspapers - The Star and Sunday Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Watan.

If Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) wants to play its own silly games, let it do so - how will that affect the government policy if the government stands rock still on its principle?

You don't have to think of the government requiring only your thuggish violence as 'bouncer' support. And how would DJZ's wish-list affect Malays when it's only vernacular education it cares about, and not Malay rights nor privileges.

Malays always boast of their race having the social-cultural values of 'loyalty' and 'tolerance'. But we all know that 'loyalty' has been utterly bullshit (we just need to look around for the last 100 years and right up to NOW), so let's at least save 'Malay gentleness and tolerance', even if DJZ irritates you.

Let's all have a bit of 'Dignity' as a civilisation, nation and society.

Related:

Why Malay-Muslim groups fear vernacular schools.