In an apparent attack against the current crop of Malaysian leaders, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said the country lacks leadership and someone in control.

The former finance minister also said that the country’s leaders “cannot be smart” if they cannot see the danger that is currently faced by the Malaysian society, with racial and religious issues dominating the country.

Razaleigh, better known as Ku Li, said that people in leadership do not exercise leadership which leads to the falling apart of respect and regard for authority.

“Leaders must be prepared to put their foot down and be unpopular. There are certain things beyond the bounds of even expression. You may have your freedom of speech but there is a limit to saying things, common sense is needed,” he said.

Ku Li sees the trend continuing and the situation “crashing down” if leaders do not put their foot down and say “stop”.

“If people are allowed to have a merry-go-round and say and do what they like then all hell will break lose,” he added.

Ku Li said he was responding to questions about this as many are unhappy and uncomfortable about the current situation.

He was speaking at a press conference after launching ‘Enduring Truths from Statements and Words of Al-Marhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj Our Beloved Bapa Malaysia’ book in conjunction with his 111th birthday on Feb 8.

'Tunku will curse everybody'

Ku Li was also asked what he thought the Tunku might feel if he saw the country’s current situation.

“He will curse everybody for all the things they say or do, it runs counter to all he believed in or the way he liked or advocated or saw things happen,” Ku Li said.

“He liked peace and is a man of peace, he liked to nurture harmony. And he liked people to help one another no matter what is the racial background or religious and cultural leanings,” he added.

“He adopted children from outside his family... Indians, Chinese, anak Orang Asli, Thai. He didn’t differentiate,” Ku Li stressed.

Asked why the current leaders are not following Tunku’s footsteps, Ku Li said they were probably born in different times and were brought up differently.

He qualified himself, saying he was not referring to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he made the comment but felt generally that “people who are insecure uses all these points, to exploit the situation”.

Ku Li was also asked on the current situation in Umno where 12 of its members and supporters had invaded the Penang legislative assembly and several others threatened to burn down DAP’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The angry mobs were upset with DAP Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer for uttering the word “celaka” at three Umno leaders for attending a rally in Seberang Jaya in January.

Protesters during the rally held against Machang Bubuk assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Najib Razak with kangkung jokes, displayed banners blaming DAP for the May 13 riots.

“Some people tend to be extreme in their views and actions but let’s be fair, there are people who provoke these people, they are extreme elements who provoke them,” Ku Li said.

“Why do you lend yourself to these possibilities by making these provocative remarks?” Ku Li asked.

“You banter with them and  challenge them and where do you go from there?” he queried.

“I don’t sympathise with people who want to take the law into their own hands,” he said.

“This is a society of laws and we cannot have people doing as they like, we cannot have an anarchy,” he added.