Pakatan Rakyat state representatives gathered at the Speakers Corner today continued to express dissatisfaction against Opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim for his alleged seditious statements during the chief minister's winding up speech at yesterday's state legislative assembly sitting.

NONE A police report was also lodged against Azhar ( right) (BN-Penaga) at the Lebuh Pantai police station today although he had been referred to the privileges committee which may see him suspended from the state assembly at the next sitting.

Despite withdrawing his statement at speaker Abdul Halim Hussain's request, PKR Penang Youth chief Syed Mikael Rizal Aidi called on the police to probe Azhar for his alleged warning to the rakyat that chaos will break out if the police were unable to do their job.

"He was given the opportunity to speak during the chief minister's winding up speech but was totally irresponsible by whipping up racial sentiments by giving the rakyat a warning that May 13 will recur if the people lost confidence in the police,"  he said during a press conference at the Penang Speakers Square at the Esplanade today.

"He acted as if he was threatening the rakyat into accepting the army to protect their security if they did not want the police anymore, and what is more disappointing, he said he would be happier with the return of the emergency situation," added Syed Mikael reading out the statement on behalf of the assemblypersons.

Azhar will go before the powerful committee on charges of seeking "to forment rebellion through his seditious remarks" and "to create hatred and hostility among the races.

Umno state assemblypersons have thrown in their support behind Azhar, saying the action to refer him to the Committee was ‘unconventional' as the latter had retracted his statement yesterday.

No immunity for racial remarks

Meanwhile, RSN Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) said that immunity in the state assembly does not protect one who utters words inciting racial sentiments.

NONE "In fact I regret that these words like May 13 are often uttered by Umno and their coalition partners," said Rayer.

"Have you heard those from Pakatan Rakyat mentioning these words? It is always Barisan Nasional leaders like Noh Omar, Ahmad Ismail and Nasir Safar, who mention them," he added.

Sim Tze Tsin (PKR-Pantai Jerejak) said Azhar had clearly ignored the agreement reached by all the 46 assemblypersons prohibiting them from using words that incite racial tension.

"Even though Azhar had been referred to the privileges committee, we still want the police to investigate his statement and bring him to justice as he made these statements in public," added Sim.

"I clearly heard him say that he does not care for the rule of law, and that the underground Malay silat group Tiga Barisan will teach us a lesson and strike fear among the people," he added.

PAS representative Mohamad Farouk urged the police to investigate this case thoroughly as he feared that Azhar's ‘irresponsible' statements will cause racial tension among the rakyat.