Riot in Perak

I was shocked when I read that one of the PAS leaders who wrote that if the Perak issue is not resolved, it might degenerate into the exact situation in Bangkok. This is uncalled for and an irresponsible threat. More so coming from a PAS leader, when PAS has always advocate that Islam do not promote violence.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know the vast difference between the political situation in Thailand and that of Perak. In Perak, both BN and PR have gone to the court to resolve what is essentially a state constitutional crisis. In Thailand, they have taken politics to the street and Malaysia of all political divide should not try to be a copycat of the Thailand’s model whereby street politics have replaced the ballot box. Obviously, there are powerful people behind the opposing forces. I will not try to go into details since I am not privileged to detail and accurate informations to people who are actors behind the scene directing the street demonstration. You can never be a street demonstrator for weeks if you do not have the financial resources.

The fall of the PR state government in Perak do not call for street demonstration and violence for the problem to be resolved. It is only through a peaceful means of the ballot box that we can resolve the issue. The BN leadership feels that it has a simple majority and will continue to cling to power. The PR leaders felt cheated of their victory. I find it difficult to accept that when the BN wakil rakyat leaped frog to PR, it is because of justice and democracy, but when the PR wakil rakyat switched camp to BN, it is because of money. One must not forget who started these games and gimmick of ‘katak’ politics right after the 308 election.

Malaysians are generally peace-loving people. We value the racial harmony and stability that we have. Nobody in his right mind would want to turn our political struggle into violence in order to achieve their objectives. We can have our differences of opinions and political outlook but it should never be settled by street demonstration and violence. We should condemn anybody who advocates such means to achieve their ends. I am confident that common sense and love for the country will prevail among our rakyat.

我惊闻一名回教党领袖在其党报中写道，如果不解散霹雳州议会，可能会上演类似曼谷芭堤雅的流血示威事件。向来以反暴力自居的回教党，它的领袖竟然发表如此不负责和具煽动意味的言论。

任何人都能分辨泰国和霹雳州政局的广大差异。在霹雳，国阵和民联已通过法院处理该州的政宪危机。而泰国却相反，人们走上街抗议，要以示威取代选票来推翻政权，这是我国任何一个政党都不该仿效的做法。敌对势力的背后明显有权势之士支撑，在幕后指挥的主角是谁，我没有详细资料佐证，也不想多谈。如果没有经济上的资助，谁可以搁下饭碗，整整一星期上街示威？

霹雳州民联倒台并没有上演街头示威和暴力事件。我们都相信和平选举能解决一切危机。掌握简单多数议席的国阵领导层深信他们将会继续执政。当初胜选的民联领袖觉得被骗。舆论总把跳槽民联的国阵议员正义化和、民主化，民联议员跳槽国阵却一概论为金钱政治。这样的论述无法说服我。别忘记308后，谁是“政治青蛙”游戏的始作俑者。

马来西亚人民热爱和平。我们珍惜现有的种族和谐与稳定。明智的人绝不会愿意把政治角力转化为暴力斗争来达到目的。虽然我们的政见及展望各异，但绝不应透过示威和暴力解决分歧。反之，我们应严谴倡导暴力来实现目标的人。我深信，人民坚爱我们的国家，也愿共同肩负爱国的责任。