DAP-Utusan war continues

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia has consistently earned the wrath of DAP leaders over the years, and 2011 appears to be no different.

Taking the newspaper to task, party supremo Lim Kit Siang said that an editorial published yesterday had “repeated the lie” that DAP wanted to abolish the Malay sultanate system to create a republic.

The editorial was penned by Awang Selamat, who is no stranger to ruffling the feathers of DAP leaders.

Lim stressed that DAP, whether in the past or present, had reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the fundamental features of the Malaysian Constitution including the system of constitutional monarchy.

The veteran politician also lambasted Utusan for being irresponsible and lacking professionalism in peddling the lie and poison that DAP wanted to abolish the system.

“Even worse, Utusan will be guilty of the worst crime of treason to the nation and people of Malaysia in trying to incite disunity, strife and hatred in our plural society,” he said.

Hatred and strife

On the same note, Lim said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders could no longer be indifferent to Utusan’s open incitement of hatred and strife.

Not only does it make a total mockery of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept, he said, the daily was also undermining and destroying all efforts to create a united and cohesive nation.

“Utusan is a daily reminder of the hollowness and hypocrisy of Najib’s 1Malaysia as the Umno newspaper continues to peddle lies and poison.

“1Malaysia talks about embracing ‘our diversity of ethnicity, religions and beliefs and, by being inclusive, build mutual respect and acceptance into a solid foundation of trust and cohesiveness’ but Utusan is doing the opposite every day with its staple of lies and falsehoods,” he added.

Lim also quoted the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap, which advocated the promotion of “an all-inclusive 1Malaysia media” and warned of the danger of greater national divisions and disunity when “some writers abuse the greater freedom of expression now available to use terms and feelings that are racist or inflammatory in nature and tone”.

Unfortunately, Lim said, this commitment to journalistic professionalism, a sense of responsibility and self-restraint, with sensitivity to the divergent views and feelings of the diverse communities in Malaysia was completely absent in Utusan.