KUALA LUMPUR – After being described as a communist by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang wished the Marang MP “Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf Zahir dan Batin!” in response.
In a statement today, Lim said he has nothing harsh to say against Hadi but called the PAS president to furnish proof of his allegations.
Lim also said he was perplexed on why Hadi had chosen the Eid celebrations to launch an attack against him and DAP.
“Hadi has repeated the allegation that I am a communist, for which he could not furnish any evidence.
“If I am a communist, why didn’t the Home Ministry arrest me when Perikatan Nasional was in government under two ‘backdoor’ prime ministers for 32 months from 2020 to 2022?
“I have never been a communist, but Hadi insists I am one. When did he discover that?” Lim asked.
Lim also pointed out that communist-ruled China had helped to broker the restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
“But a communist is not being a devil incarnate, as Hadi should be aware that the Saudi Arabia-Iran deal was brokered by a communist – Xi Jinping, the president of communist China.
“Is Hadi and PAS against Malaysia having close relations with communist China?” Lim asked.
Lim also claimed that Hadi often depended on misinformation and “fake news” for his arguments and glossed over the latter’s previous statements on DAP.
“After the 15th general election, he accused DAP of promoting Islamophobia. It is now five months since he made the preposterous allegation, and despite my many challenges, he had not been able to furnish an iota of evidence to substantiate his wild allegation. He is the only political leader in Malaysia who makes allegations without evidence.
“During the Teluk Intan by-election in May 2014, Hadi reminded PAS members that DAP had helped PAS when the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition tried to oust the party from ruling Kelantan during the 1977 Kelantan Emergency.
“He said although there were so many things different between DAP and PAS, like what is halal (permissible) and haram (forbidden), alcohol, pork, and hudud, the two parties agree with each other in eradicating poverty, cruelty, and corruption, among others. Was DAP promoting Islamophobia in coming to PAS’ help in 1977?” Lim said.
Lim also reminded Hadi that DAP had nothing to do with the abortive efforts by the previous government under Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 2018.
“On the auspicious occasion of one of the most important religions in the world, despite all the wrong and false conceptions of DAP and me, I have no harsh words for Hadi, and I wish Hadi and PAS ‘Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf Zahir dan Batin!’”
“Let all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri and show that we can be a role model for the world for interracial, interreligious, intercultural and inter-civilisational understanding, tolerance and harmony.
“Hadi’s example is not to be followed if we want to play such a role model for the world,” said Lim. – The Vibes, April 22, 2023
