Guan Eng slams army promotion race-baiting by Hadi's son-in-law

Summary 

• DAP national adviser Lim Guan Eng urges “severe action” against PAS leader Zaharudin Muhammad over a post linked to the promotion of Malaysia’s first Chinese lieutenant general. 

• The Bagan MP accuses Zaharudin of inciting racial hatred while disrespecting the armed forces and dismissing non-Malay contributions.

• Other DAP leaders also warn that PAS’ politics of hate are escalating and must be firmly countered.

DAP national adviser Lim Guan Eng has called for “severe punishment” against a PAS leader who seemingly took issue with the appointment of Malaysia’s first Chinese lieutenant general.

Urging authorities to prosecute Sungai Buloh PAS division chief Zaharudin Muhammad, Guan Eng issued a stern reprimand over the latter’s “extremist and racist post”.

The Bagan MP accused Zaharudin, who is also PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s son-in-law, of committing a criminal offence by inciting racial hatred and stirring up racial unrest through his recent Facebook post. 

In the now-deleted post, Zaharudin had penned a hypothetical scenario set in 2058 where a Chinese individual from Kampung Sungai Baru - now a Malay enclave - is appointed as Malaysia’s 50th prime minister.

Zaharudin also attached a screenshot of a news article dated yesterday regarding the armed forces’ promotion of Johnny Lim from major general to lieutenant general. 

While Zaharudin insisted that the appointment is not linked with the fabricated possibility he had come up with, Guan Eng asserted that the post was “inflammatory” in nature. 

“Such an extremist and racist post not only disparages the professionalism and integrity of the armed forces, but also the singular achievement of Johnny as well as the contributions and loyalty of non-Malay Malaysians,” Guan Eng said.

‘No institution is sacred to PAS’

He also took aim at PAS in general, claiming that the opposition party’s brand of “hate-filled and intolerant politics” has been taken to new depths of “fanatical racism and extremism”, which must be stopped and no longer tolerated.

“No institution is sacred from PAS’ attacks (and) minority ethnic groups are easy prey to be maligned (while) the Federal Constitution is treated with open contempt. 

“Only severe punishment against such irresponsible and dangerous narratives can Malaysia avoid the racist and extremist dystopia PAS seeks to establish,” Guan Eng added.

‘Do you ask race when bullets come flying?’

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim similarly urged for firm legal action against the “vile, racist, seditious, and treasonous statement” to send a warning to all politicians to never play with the fire of racial provocation.

The DAP deputy secretary-general said Zaharudin’s post was “heartbreaking” as it had insulted Johnny and thousands of other non-Malay personnel in the armed forces who are willing to sacrifice for the nation.

“When enemy bullets come flying, they don’t ask whether our soldiers are Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, or Orang Asli. Yet, when an appointment is announced, some people choose to see race before sacrifice,” Sim said in a statement today. 

He also highlighted that Zaharudin had appeared to cast doubt on the judgment of the armed forces and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the supreme commander of the military. 

“(Zaharudin’s) malicious statement lays bare PAS’ true attitude towards non-Muslims in this country.

“After 41 years of service, does this lieutenant general’s sacrifice still not make him ‘worthy’ in Zaharudin’s eyes? Is a soldier’s love for his country to be measured by skin colour?” Sim added.

Earlier, DAP’s Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan had lambasted Zaharudin for apparently using Malacca-born Johnny’s promotion to create divides among the rakyat.

He lamented how Johnny’s achievement had been turned into a divisive polemic, which could only further fracture society.

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