No sorry, I will not bow to Umno, says kangkung flash mob organiser

  

Lee speaking to The Malaysian Insider at his service centre in Alma, Penang. - 

The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, January 21, 2014.

(TMI) While thanking DAP for its concern and support, Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon fell short of taking Lim Kit Siang's advice that he should consider an apology for his controversial "I love kangkung" flash mob which has angered some Malay groups in Penang.

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat rep is standing his ground, reiterating that he will not bow to "Umno's racial and bullying tactics".

Lee said the most important thing to do now was to tackle the price hike issue and to pressure Putrajaya to listen to the people.

"I want to stress that the most crucial matter now is to continue the people's movement to protest against the price hikes and Putrajaya's plan to implement the goods and services tax (GST) next year.

"I am grateful to (DAP adviser) Lim Kit Siang for his suggestion (that I apologise) and concern. I also thank my colleagues in the state PR backbenchers committee, non-governmental organisations and my voters for their support.

"As a Pakatan Rakyat elected rep, I am angry and worried that the racial sentiments played up by Umno and its supporters will divert our focus from the real issue," he said in a statement this evening.

Lee was responding to Lim, who had suggested that he should consider apologising for holding the flash mob to prevent extremists from using the incident to incite more racial hatred.

Lim had said that Lee should "consider an apology" as there are certain quarters, including him, who see the latter's actions as "excessive, offensive and insensitive".

"An even more important consideration is not to allow irresponsible quarters to look for excuses to distort and manipulate incidents to escalate racial and religious hatred to create another May 13 in the country," Lim had said in a statement earlier today.

Lee had sparked controversy when he and others 'fed' kangkung to an effigy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the flash mob in Alma last Wednesday.

He has since been accused of insulting Najib and the Malays.

Two protests against Lee were held last weekend in Seberang Jaya and Alma. The two events also saw local Umno leaders making fiery speeches with the crowd shouting racial taunts. Some carried banners warning of another May 13-like racial riots.

Lee said the public was unhappy with what Umno did at the protests.

"This means the racial card, often played, is no longer effective and Malaysian politics is becoming more progressive and mature."

On his flash mob, Lee said it was meant to be a symbolic gesture to get Najib to be more aware of the people's feelings as a result of the price hikes.

He said there was no intention to insult anyone.

"The flash mob was merely a response to the price hike issue that affects everyone, regardless of race," he said.

He added that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu had said that, as a Malay, he did not feel offended by the flash mob.

"Therefore, I will not bow to Umno. The party is the one that started what happened (at the rallies)," he said. - January 21, 2014.