Tengku Adnan, Khaled Nordin, apologise to Kit Siang!

Media statement by DAP Johor Chairman and MP for Kluang Liew Chin Tong on 6th July 2015

Tengku Adnan, Khaled Nordin, apologise to Kit Siang!

UMNO Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Mansor and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin who is also Pasir Gudang  UMNO division head must apologise to Lim Kit Siang for the violent disruption of “Forum Kedai Kopi” of Johor DAP committed by a group of hooligans led by Azman Jaafar, UMNO Youth Chief of Pasir Gudang.

Tengku Adnan Mansor has made a fool of himself with a childish response to a shocking act of UMNO hooliganism against DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang and myself.

He should be ashamed of himself for not taking the responsibility for such violent acts, and for giving stupid excuses to justify the criminal act committed in full glare of the public and the media.

Tengku Adnan told the media that Kit Siang had likely provoked the violence yesterday at a Johor function that reportedly saw cups, bowls and even a broom thrown at him by individuals believed to be UMNO members.

He said: “So don’t do provocation… I heard that Kit Siang said something, not there but elsewhere and humans when you provoke them they will react.”

This is utter rubbish! Kit Siang did not utter even a single word at the event, yet he received screams of insults, “Kit Siang Balik Pulau Pinang” (“Kit Sing go home to Penang” – although Kit Siang was born in Johor), “Kit Siang Babi” (Kit Siang, you pig”), “Kit Siang Komunis” (Kit Siang, you communist”), “Kit Siang Mampus” (“Kit Siang, go and die!”), etc.

Forum Kedai Kopi is not a new event. The Johor DAP State Committee has organised more than 50 such events since February 2014. We believe in direct political engagement in coffee shops and warungs with ordinary Malaysians. Until yesterday, there was not a single untoward incident at all.

The “Forum Kedai Kopi” scheduled on 5th July 2015 was meant to be an Iban-focused event with Sarawak DAP leaders Mordi Anak Bimol and Thomas Sixtus Tegong Laka invited to Johor as main speakers.

On the morning of 5th July 2015, DAP Johor received the following Whatsapp message urging people to prevent Kit Siang from attending the event, which we had forwarded the Police for further actions:

“Assalamualaikum WBT

Panggilan Jihad mempertahankan Islam dan kedudukan org Melayu.
Spt mna yg kita maklum komunis LKS dari DAP akan dtg ke kawasan kita. Maka diminta semua utk berkumpul bagi menghalangnya dari masuk ke kawasan kita bagi menawan Permas pada PRU 14 nanti. LKS berdendam utk mengaib dgn menewaskan YAB MB dlm PRU 14 nanti. Oleh itu tuan2  bersama dgn seberapa ramai pengikut utk berkumpul dan menghalang rombongan LKS dari masuk ke kaw kita…..

TARIKH: 5/7/2015
Tempat berkumpul:
Masjid Hjh Maznah Tmn Megah Ria@bersebelahan bilik gerakan UMNO Tmn. Megah Ria. Jalan Bayan 45 Tmn Megah Ria 81750 Masai
Masa: 1230 ptg

Tema pakaian:merah

#Tanah Pasir Gudang bukan untuk dijejaki Pengkhianat!!

Allahuakbar!!!”

The malicious message wrongly implied that since Kit Siang was a communist, a jihad (holy war) against him was needed; and that since he was a “Menteri Besar Killer” who ended the previous Menteri Besar of Johor Tan Sri Ghani Othman’s political career, Kit Siang must be prevented from entering Permas area which is the seat of the current Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin.

Both were false claims. Kit Siang was never a communist and it was Ghani Othman who came into Gelang Patah to contest against Kit Siang rather than Lim Kit Siang looking for a fight against an incumbent Menteri Besar. Even if it is so, what’s wrong with that in a democracy?

The coffee shop we were in where surrounded from both sides by the group led by UMNO Pasir Gudang Youth Chief Azman Jaafar.

Just before I spoke, the group was closing in our table. And soon after I took the mike and uttered a few lines, Azman Jaafar went amok and started shouting. Our event was halted as the UMNO hooligans were attempting to physically attack us.

One of those in the UMNO group, Alex Puspah, a member of UMNO Flet Menanti, threatened to kill us by shouting “Lima minit tak keluar, dia mati atau saya mati.” (If you don’t come out in five minutes, it’s either you die or I die”)

While Kit Siang eventually left unscathed, those escorted him were punched as they walked out from the venue to Kit Siang’s car. I was strangled while those escorted me were punched as I walked to my car. They also screamed and shouted at Johor State Assemblywoman Liow Cai Tung, as she was walking to her car.

As for me, this was not the first time I was stopped by UMNO-Barisan Nasional thugs from attending events in Johor. I was stopped from entering Bazaar Deepavali in Kluang by MIC thugs in 2013 and I was forced to leave Bazaar Ramadan Bandar Kluang in 2014 during the infamous incident when an UMNO thug asked me “mana surat” (where’s your ‘authorisation letter”). But what happened yesterday was by far the worst I have ever faced.

Tengku Adnan must be responsible and must stop acting like a spoiled child. Khaled Nordin as the Menteri Besar and UMNO division head, as well as the state assemblyman of Permas, has the responsibility of ensuring Malaysian politics and Johore politics do not descend further into chaos and violence.

They owe Kit Siang and all fellow Malaysians an apology.