Ethnic relations book: Rebuttal to Mustapa

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If Suqui was extremist, why did Mahathir and the cabinet agreed to go along with their 'demands' in 1999, asked a reader.

On MPs up in arms, Mustapa grilled over textbook

May 13 Witness: Mustapa said: Suqui demands were extreme as it had questioned the position of Islam as the official religion and that it questioned bumiputera rights. Suqui had withdrawn seven of its demands.

If it was so, then why did Mahathir and the cabinet agreed to go along with their 'demands' in 1999? Why didn't Mahathir shot the so-called demands down and have the Suqui group detained under the ISA, if it was also true that Suqui questioned the position of Islam. Was it also mentioned in the ethnic relations textbook that a group of university students met with Suqui officials at the Chinese Assembly Hall and later told reporters that there was nothing offensive at all in the various points raised by Suqui? Why did Mahathir brand the group as extremist or even liken them to al-Maunah? This is very defamatory as these people are not terrorists.

Did the book identify who's who in Suqui, which made up of senior community leaders, businessmen, traders and educationists, and do you think for one moment these elderly men would take the chance to create problems for society, thus jeapordising their own welfare as well as the community? Did the book also clarify the meaning of Suqui which means "appeal" and not "demand". Since it was an appeal, then it could be turned down or rejected. Why didn't Mahathir and Umno do that in the first place?

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