Up to Attorney-General to act on ‘racist’ remarks by Umno ministers, says Home Ministry

Police have completed investigations on incendiary statements by Umno leaders Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and are waiting for further instructions from the public prosecutor, the Home Ministry said today.

A total of 32 police reports were lodged against Ismail, the agriculture-and agro-based industries minister, over his call for Malays to boycott Chinese businesses as a way to force down the prices of goods.

Ten police reports were lodged against Mashitah, who had said that Chinese people had burned the Quran in a religious rite in Kuala Kedah, despite facts to the contrary.

A written parliamentary reply by the Home Ministry to DAP's Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching today said that police had completed investigations into both cases, and had handed the investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

Teo had asked the home minister to state the number of police reports lodged against both Umno leaders and for an update on the status of investigations.

The Home Ministry said that in Mashitah's case, investigations were made under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code, which covers statements "conducing to public mischief".

Mashitah, the Baling Umno Wanita chief, at the Umno general assembly in November last year riled up party delegates with her speech in, which she accused Chinese of burning the Quran.

However, Kedah police and state Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir had already by then clarified that the culprit was a mentally unsound man who was later warded in hospital.

Ismail, meanwhile, created an uproar after singling out the Chinese, and also the DAP, for the high price of goods. He called for a boycott of Chinese traders on his Facebook page but subsequently deleted the post.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak later cleared Ismail of any ill-intent, saying that his remark was aimed at profiteering traders instead, but it did not stop Chinese-based parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional from demanding a public apology, while many others called for Ismail to resign. – March 10, 2015.
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