KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Pasir Mas-PN) ticked off several government-affiliated MPs during his debate of the royal address today, when he highlighted numerous past incidents.
Fadhli said Parliament must act on prevalent racist speeches, as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had instructed Malaysians to avoid racial issues.
In response to DAP National Chairman Lim Guan Eng’s (Bagan-PH) earlier debate highlighting issues that oppressed non-Muslims, Fadhli countered by mentioning ex-DAP member “Superman” Hew Kuan Yau’s arrest for his “disgusting” speech.
He was citing the speech verbatim, before Chow Yu Hui (Raub-PH) clarified that Hew’s comments were directed at racists, not at Malays as a whole.
Not backing down, Fadhli then raised the issue when Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming (Teluk Intan-PH) had previously warned that Malaysia will become a “Taliban nation” if PN is victorious in the general election.
“Kelantan has been governed by PAS for over 30 years, no Taliban nations were allowed in the state,” he said.
“This is the true manipulative statement that must be fought against, we do not have to pick comments from people,” he added.
It was then DAP member R. S. N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH) reminded Fadhli that PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh-PN) had also made speeches on stage in the past that claimed Pas was a heretic party.
Rayer questioned why the party is now somehow a devout supporter of the former prime minister, to which Fadhli quipped that he is bringing up obsolete issues.
“Jelutong (Rayer) has brought up issues from decades ago.
“I think the problem with him is that he is dragging past issues, when what he should’ve dragged into here is the ‘Hoi Hoi Ya Hoi’, only mere months ago,” he added, drawing cheers.
Fadhli was referring to a song by Malaysian artist Syed Ahmad Abdul Rahman (Altimet) titled “Aduh Malaysia”, whose lyrics were in protest of supporting “robbers” of the rakyat.
DAP committee member Tan Hong Pin (Bakri-PH) joined in, expressing his disagreement with Fadhli’s claims about his party.
“I disagree with your perspective that us commenting about PAS involves Islam (in any way),” he said.
“PAS cannot represent Islam. We (all) mustn’t equate you to it.
“We only speak about politics, please accept the fact and don’t mix religious issues into it,” he added.
When intervened by the speaker to conclude his speech, Fadhli stressed that it was “time to rebuild the nation”.
He lamented that despite DAP members in Dewan Rakyat being the best representatives of the party, they cannot deny the fact that its basis is to lessen the gap between the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera.
When asked by Rayer to confirm his facts, Fadhli then brought up an excerpt from the PH linchpin’s official website, which allegedly showed its aspirations to curb Bumiputera rights.
“I do not come unprepared. DAP’s official website confirms this.
“The declaration is a firm step in DAP’s view that in the nation-building process, the separation of the people into two groups, Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, are opposed,” he added, citing the party’s website.
Fadhli’s statement riled the other MPs even more, with all three racing to rebut his claims.
Rayer reiterated that DAP respects Bumiputera’s rights and requested that he not confuse the Dewan Rakyat, while Tan said they do not discriminate and always have the people’s interests at heart.
Following instructions from the speaker to conclude his debate, Fadhli hoped that the current government respects the people’s freedom of speech.
“It is pointless if we are freed from prison, only to imprison the rakyat’s right of freedom,” he said.
Fadhli had previously criticised the unity government for acting against online criticism, allegedly stifling the youth’s freedom of speech for merely voicing their disapproval of certain policies and actions. – The Vibes, February 16, 2023
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