The fact that Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has gone unpunished over its report on a ‘Christian conspiracy’ shows that BN is out to incite hate against the Christian community, claimed the DAP.

NONE “DAP expresses grave concern that this hate campaign against Christians by Utusan may not just stop at verbal attacks,” secretary general Lim Guan Eng said in a statement today.

“The BN government has to bear full responsibility for any undesirable consequences on the Christian community in Malaysia based on Utusan's hate campaign (and) lies.”

Lim said that it is regrettable that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had promised  investigations, but has failed to pledge action should the daily be found to have published false news.

“Clearly, the BN government has not only failed to stop Utusan from continuing with such baseless attacks but has even encouraged them by promising action against Christian pastors and the DAP, if found to be true.

“Why has the BN government not promised to take stern action against Utusan when its lies are exposed?

“Such double standards by BN leaders lend suspicion that Utusan enjoys full immunity as an Umno-owned paper to spread dangerous lies and is allowed to conduct its campaign of hate against minority peaceful Christians, who are helpless to defend themselves.”

utusan malaysia kristian agama rasmi 1 Yesterday, Najib had called for calm and promised an investigation into Utusan's front-page report on Saturday. It claimed that DAP is involved in a Christian conspiracy to install a premier from the faith and dethrone Islam as the official religion.

The daily cited two pro-Umno blogs which claimed that the conspiracy was unravelled during a function in Penang, involving a gathering of church elders.   

Even though DAP and Christian groups have denied this, Utusan today again insisted in an editorial that there were attempts by “certain groups” to incite anger among the Muslim majority.

“The suggestion for Christianity to be made an official religion of the country, as well as for a Christian prime minister from that religious group cannot be accepted,” reads the editorial.

In a joint statement yesterday, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) and Lim had denied the report and urged Najib and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to take immediate action against the newspaper.

“We express grave concern that Utusan is spreading dangerous lies that make Christians the object of hate and incite hatred against Christians that may lead to undesirable consequences,” they said.

'A protest based on lies'

Lim said the news report had inspired a demonstration against him yesterday by about 30 people.

“No one has a right to demonstration against lim guan eng 080511 shaikh hussein mydin run a campaign based on lies and Umno has no right to protest against something that is just not true. Or else where would this end? If our country is built on lies, then collapse is certain,” he said.

The protestors had condemned Lim for not fulfilling an apparent promise to remove the Sungei Nyior toll-booth and to build a toll-free bypass from Jalan Bagan to Jalan Siram.

Lim said it is Umno's right to hold the protest but questioned why they would protest about a free bypass but not toll-roads.

“This is the essential difference between BN and Pakatan Rakyat. BN wants to build toll-roads to collect money from the public without providing any free alternative roads. Pakatan wants to provide an alternative toll-free road,” he said.

He said use of the open tender system and close monitoring by the state government had reduced the cost of the road to RM2.5 million.

“This is a classic case of a state government project costing less than the tender price, which would never happen in a BN state (where it) would invariably cost more than the tender price,” Lim added.

“Furthermore, the contractor (carrying out) the project is a Malay, proving that not only can a Malay contractor compete under the open tender system but that the Penang Pakatan government (has given) a majority of government contracts to Malays.”

Dompok: Law allows for Christian PM

Gerakan wants Utusan probed over 'Christian plot'

No call to pray for Christian state, say pastors

Blogger insists 'Christian conspiracy' must be probed

Cops probing daily over 'Christian plot' : Hisham

Be wary of third-party info, says Tengku Adnan

Rep wants Utusan barred from Penang assembly

When Umno unleashes its demons...

No force can do anything to Utusan

PM Najib, stop tip-toeing around