Selangor DAP today lodged a police report stating that an article by Rozaman Ismail in Utusan Malaysia is seditious in nature and incites hatred against the Chinese community.

According to Selangor DAP state secretary Wong Ang Peng, the article titled "Politik orang Cina di Lunas" dated Dec 1 suggested that the Chinese are untrustworthy.

Wong was accompanied by DAP national publicity secretary Ronnie Liu and other Selangor DAP leaders.

In a media statement, Wong said, "This report, which also insinuated that the Chinese community is disloyal, is absolutely racist in character, mischievous and amounting to inciting communal hatred against the Chinese."

Wong said that it is hoped that the police would investigate Utusan Malaysia under the Sedition Act so as to avoid such "inciting" articles in the media.

Extremists

"We challenge the ministers in MCA and Gerakan to condemn the said Utusan Malaysia report. Otherwise they have nothing to shout about being representatives of the Chinese community. (There is) no further need to whisper that they are trying to change and reform Umno and BN from within," said Wong.

Liu said that there is no basis for Utusan Malaysia and Umno to label the Chinese as such just because they voted for the Opposition.

"We, as citizens have a right to exercise our votes and show our dissatisfaction and anger against the Barisan Nasional for what they have said about the Chinese. It is obvious the Chinese are angry about issues regarding the Vision School and of Suqiu being labeled as extremists.

"There is no reason for the Chinese educationists to be labeled as such just because they were speaking out and standing up for what is their right. There should not be political vengeance against the Chinese," said Liu, adding that the term "Chinese educationists" can mean "anybody who is involved in Chinese education".

Traitors

Liu said that Dong Jiao Zong, being the umbrella body of Chinese education institutions, would have been labeled as "traitors" by the Chinese community had it not stood up to defend Chinese schools from being turned into Vision Schools.

"Although in concept the Vision School is a great idea, the Chinese educationists are against the implementation of it by using only loose guidelines and not properly drafted legislations.

"Furthermore, the Chinese are wary of the government's tactics to take over Chinese schools after the incident in 1962," said Liu, who stated that soon after the enactment of the Education Act 1961, the few Chinese schools were promised to be converted into national schools with their identities retained.

"Thirty-eight years later, the schools such as Han Jiang and Catholic High School, are now without their original identities.

"The Barisan Nasional should have 'vision parties' first before they talk about Vision Schools," said Liu.

Previous stories:

[#1]Utusan article not seditious, says deputy home minister[/#], Dec 4

[#2]Utusan cuba bangkit isu perkauman: Kit Siang[/#], Dec 4