Haramkan Isma – Behind call by Papa Dapster’s sidekick to ban the NGO

The J-Star strikes again!

After Perkasa got it the last time, it is now Isma’s turn to be targetted.

Ibrahim Ali: The Star is DAP’s tool

A fortnight ago (Dec 14), Ibrahim Ali accused The J-Star of encouraging articles that challenge the sanctity of Islam, saying “MCA’s newspaper is being used as a tool by DAP”.

He added that whereas liberal writers are provided ample opportunities by The J-Star to belittle Islam, statements by Perkasa, on the other hand, are not given any airing by the EvangeliSTAR editors.

Addressing his organization’s annual general assembly, the Perkasa president also complained that J-Star CEO Wong Chun Wai (pix below) was bent on making personal attacks against him.

Wanita Isma: DAP making Muslims angry

Previously Wong Chun Wai had written in his May 18 column about how “instant NGOs, with a membership of five persons, including the wives and children of the presidents claim that they represent a particular race or religion”.

A week before that in his May 11 column, Chun Wai had written “Ignorant fools and bigots like him should not be allowed to get away with their remarks”, referring to Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman.

Yesterday the J-Star carried a report headlined ‘DAP man calls for banning of Isma‘. Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik, who is Lim Guan Eng’s former pol-sec, alleged that the politicizing of religion by Isma is a form of extremism.

Calling for a ban on the Muslim NGO, Malaysian Firster Ng said Isma should not be allowed to exist and must be de-registered immediately.

In response, Ustazah Norsaleha Mohd Salleh (pix right) who heads the Isma women’s wing retorted that the statement by Ng was hate speech which only reflected the hostility of DAP against Islam.

She said it is DAP that’s continuously harping on sensitive issues and invoking the anger of Muslims in Malaysia.

According to the ustazah, this tactic to demonize Isma adopted by the DAP is to curtail the voices of Islam.

Ng Wei Aik (in batik shirt) has a samseng reputation

“Racist! Racist! Racist!”

It is not only the J-Star alone which is running a moderation campaign to paint a segment of Malaysians as “racists”, “extremists” and “bigots”.

Top-selling Chinese newspaper Sin Chew recently launched its ‘I am Malaysian, I am Moderate’ campaign to say ‘No’ to extremism too. The Sin Chew ‘Moderation campaign was conceived in the wake of popular public reception to the open letter by 25 “eminent” Malays, which among other things, had slammed both Perkasa and Isma.

Prompted by recent developments in PAS’s push for hudud, the top editors of Sin Chew are now promoting “moderation” with great vigour while at the same time condemning religious “extremism”.

Hua Zong (Federation of Chinese Associations) has pledged its support for the “moderation” initiative.

Muslims must start treating DAP’s mouthpiece The J-Star with the same contempt that Yahudi Yeohs treat Umno’s mouthpiece Utusan

What the Sin Chew senior editors say

Lim Sue Goan in a Dec 24 op-ed headlined ‘Farewell, 2014‘ wrote:

• “Politically, groups and individuals … are now busy in supporting the moderation movement, showing that everyone is in anxiety, hoping to unite forces and prevent the country from falling into the abyss of extremism.”
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• “If religious moderation, communication and tolerance are not promoted, we will embark on a road of no return.”

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A Sin Chew Dec 23 editorial headlined ‘Show support for moderation‘ said:

• “due to the recent extremism atmosphere in the country … it is believed that the mood of [Christmas] celebration has been affected.”
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• “Somewhat reassuring, the moderation movement initiated by 25 prominent Malays (G25) has caused a great resonance in the Chinese community. […] the Chinese community is making great efforts in promoting the moderation movement”

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Lim Mun Fah in a Dec 22 op-ed headlined ‘More need to come forward‘ wrote:

• “We are calling so hard for moderation today as regardless of inside or outside the country, we are facing unprecedented threat of extremism.”
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• “… Perkasa is still making threatening gestures, extreme politicians are still clamouring, the 1Malaysia concept is drifting away, while racial polarisation has grown obvious. A kind of fear is covering the whole society.”
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• “As long as the country is split into two, as long as such confrontations are intensified, the more irreconcilable it is, the more those racial and religious extremists will be benefited, and the more arrogant they become.”
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• “To be honest, whether the “anti-extremism and support moderation” movement currently in full swing can succeed in the end and evolve into an influential social movement, to a great extent, depends on how Umno and PAS respond to it. It depends on whether moderate members of the two parties can take the courage and come forward to join the moderation group, saying no to racial and religious extremism, and halt the parties’ internal and external strengthening racial and religious extremism, stopping the growing racial and religious extreme words and deeds, and preventing the polarisation phenomenon in the society from deteriorating.”

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Another Sin Chew Dec 22 editorial headlined ‘Abandon retrograding thinking‘ said:

• “The remarks [by Tun Mahathir] carried heavy taste of racism. It is not in line with Mahathir’s status, while going the opposition direction of the ‘anti-extremism and support moderation’ atmosphere being actively promoted by various races in recent days.”
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• “Meanwhile, Mahathir, who had led the country for 22 years, did not read the letter but instead made Malay domination racists remarks when criticising Najib.”
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• “Moderation is the only path that Malaysia should take. Mahathir’s racist remarks are a retrograding advocacy that should be abandoned.”

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Lim Sue Goan in a Dec 20 op-ed headlined ‘A tough fight‘ wrote:

• “There is no way to contain extremism unless the ruling coalition takes a tough stance and instructs the enforcers to tackle elements of extremism.”
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• “Dr Mahathir amended the Constitution in 1988 to elevate the status of syariah courts in a bid to diffuse the religious competition between Umno and PAS. Such maneuvers have intensified religious sentiments to an extent that many have failed to see what is right or wrong.”
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• “… the rise of extremism will only expedite the withdrawal of foreign investors. Extremism will also hamper the country’s advances towards the developed country status.”

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Tay Tian Yan in a Dec 19 op-ed headlined ‘We are moderate Malaysians, we are not alone‘ wrote:

• “Regardless of race and religion, there is only one common identity for us – moderate Malaysian.”
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• “Prior to this, we had neither Perkasa nor Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma). There was no religious and racial extremist organisation, and there was no extreme remark and idea tearing the country apart.”
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• “Firstly, they differentiated Malays and non-Malays, Muslims and non-Muslims. Then, they created split in the Malay Muslim community, stressing on racial and religious purification, excluding moderate and enlightened Malay Muslims and suppressed them with racial doctrine and conservative religious teachings.”
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• Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, and controversial figure Ridhuan Tee Abdullah have risen and become protagonists of racial and religious struggle, grabbing headlines and triggering public concern.”
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• “Watching Perkasa, Isma and extreme politicians distort their race and religion and harm the society and country, they [G25] eventually came forward and made a voice for moderation.”

It’s more than obvious the adherents of which religion the J-Star and Sin Chew have in mind when they exalt the “moderates”, and the adherents of which religion the two influential media are thinking of when they bash the “extremists”.