Four representatives from Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia, led by PKR supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin, have submitted a "warning" memo for MCA president Chua Soi Lek over his statement in Kedah that allegedly insulted Islam.

NONE Badrul Hisham told reporters at the lobby of Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur that the group was giving Chua given 14 days to retract his statement and apologise.

Or else, said Badrul Hisham, Chua “will face action by youths nationwide, including in front of the MCA office".

He said SAMM will organise the action not only in Kuala Lumpur but throughout the country.

He did not elaborate what he meant by "action".

Chua in a speech to Kedah MCA leaders last week said Muslim-majority countries whose leaders purportedly emphasise religion suffer from high illiteracy rates, low incomes, high unemployment rate and were wracked by controversies.

NONE In a speech made last week, Chua ( left ) referred to Syed Akbar Ali’s book ‘Malaysia and the Club of Doom’, in which the author listed down several common characteristics of the 57 Muslim countries in the world, including: "less democracy because of the emphasis on religion; they have elections but also have councils of Muslim elders enjoying absolute power; practice of absolute monarchy; and formulating policies not on par with global developments".

In his protest letter to the MCA president, Badrul Hisham, or more popularly known as Chegubard, questioned Chua’s position and medical background.

“Dr Chua Soi Lek, a highly educated MCA president, should know that his insults toward Islam are baseless and inaccurate. He, as a doctor, should also know that modern medicine has its roots in Islamic civilisation.”

'Ploy to stay in power'

Badrul Hisham said that Chua made the statement to create racial tension and “play with racial sentiments” as a ploy to stay in power.

“It is obvious that the statement was made merely to boost Chinese support, especially among the non-Muslims, which has always been MCA’s strength but which has been faltering lately.

NONE “The rakyat have not forgotten how (then MCA deputy president) Lee Kim Sai, MCA Youth leaders and then-Umno Youth leader Najib Abdul Razak started racial friction in 1987 whilst Umno and BN were affected by internal conflicts.”

“Once the racial tension intensified, the (BN) regime took the opportunity to arrest progressive leaders under the ISA during Ops Lalang.”       

Prime Minister Najib and his ‘1Malaysia’ concept were not left unscathed in Chegubard’s attack.

“Two important figures who then stoked the flames of racial tension were unpunished whilst one of them has become prime minster and cowers behind the ‘1Malaysia’ slogan.”

“Whilst Umno toys with the ketuanan Melayu solidarity sentiments, MCA, Umno’s ‘friend’, is allowed to insult Islam,” he added.

   

He urged the MCA leadership to treat the matter seriously and to advise their president to respond to the letter urgently.