ALOR STAR: A Gerakan Youth leader here has slammed PKR and PAS for being rude for demonstrating at the US embassy yesteday afternoon, on the second day of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang chided the PKR and PAS leaders and members, who took part in the demonstration, for being disrespectful and insensitive to ethnic Chinese sentiments.
He said that Pakatan Rakyat could have held the demonstration on another day given that Chinese, the country’s second largest ethnic community, were celebrating the arrival of their new “Rabbit” year.
He called on Pakatan leaders, including Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng to explain publicly the reasons behind such a “discourteous” demonstration.
He said the PKR and PAS leaders knew that Chinese New Year was among the most grandly celebrated ethnic-based festival in the country.
“But they were least bothered… they went ahead with the demonstration. It’s rude,” said Tan.
Tan said that the PKR and PAS leaders should be thoughtful and respectful of other cultures in a multi-racial Malaysia.
Some 1,000 people demonstrated outside the American Embassy in Kuala Lumpur after Friday prayers yesterday to condemn Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
The protesters included NGO and Pakatan leaders, members, activists and supporters.
While Tan condemned Pakatan involvement in the “Egypt Demo” Hindraf Makkal Sakti adviser N Ganesan aimed to capitalise on it.
He suggested that PKR and PAS leaders display similar democratic zeal at home by joining Hindraf’s fight against the introduction of the controversial novel Interlok in school.
Strong support
Hindraf plans to hold a mass anti-Interlok and anti-racism protest on Feb 27 at KLCC, the venue of the human rights movement’s ground-breaking mass demonstration on Nov 25, 2007.
Ganesan said that Hindraf was encouraged by Pakatan enthusiasm in championing an international cause in the Arab world.
“It was heart-warming to see its strong support for the Egyptians’ struggle for democracy,” he told FMT.
Hence, he said that it was time Pakatan also showed a similar zest against the racist Interlok at home.
Ganesan urged its leaders, members and grassroots supporters to join Hindraf’s anti-racism stance.
He added that the Malay novel Interlok had shattered the country’s cherished multi-racial unity.
Interlok was penned in 1971 by national laureate Abdullah Hussain in the aftermath of 1969 May 13 racial riots.
Ganesan insisted that the book must be banned because it would sow seeds of racism among the young.
“Pakatan leaders should walk their talk and join our fight against it. After all, charity starts at home,” he said.
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