AND MAPIM ACCUSED THE PRESS OF TARRING MALAYS: Ibrahim Ali dubs G25, liberals ‘racist, extremist’

KUALA LUMPUR -  Datuk Ibrahim Ali hit back at accusations of extremism today, labelling the G25 group and other Muslim moderates and liberals as the racist and extremist groups instead of Perkasa.

The controversial Malay right-wing group president who once suggested burning Christian Bibles because they contained the word “Allah”, claimed that allegations of racism and extremism against Perkasa were part of psychological warfare and “reverse psychology” tactics.

“This group of eminent persons, as well as liberals and moderates, are the real extremist and racist groups,” Ibrahim wrote in an article in Umno-linked paper Utusan Malaysia titled “Siapa sebenarnya rasis atau exstremis?” (Who are the real racists and extremists?)

“They’re wearing a mask to hide their extremist and racist agenda so that the majority of Malaysians won’t criticise them.

“They don’t regret it that their movement can cause BN (Barisan Nasional) to lose power because of declining support from the non-Bumiputeras,” he added.

G25, a group of mostly retired high-ranking civil servants that has now expanded to 35 Muslim members, said in a statement on December 27 that Perkasa and Muslim right-wing group Isma were “extremist, immoderate and intolerant” voices.

The group of Muslim moderates has urged Putrajaya to review Shariah criminal offences and to assert the supremacy of the Federal Constitution over Islamic state laws in the country.

Ibrahim said in response that such statements, as well as efforts by certain political parties backing non-Muslim usage of the Arabic word for God “Allah” and the campaign against the Sedition Act 1948, endangered Malaysia.

“The quarters that are pushing for such issues instead term them as necessary because of socio-cultural, political and economic evolution.

“They make such justifications so that the Malaysian government will focus on equality and justice based on universal standards, instead of on Malaysia’s multi-racial fabric that was used by the British colonialists,” said the Perkasa chief.

Related Story: Don't label us as 'extremist' or 'intolerant' - Mapim tells  paper

In a separate statement on Malay-language paper Sinar Harian published today, a group of 35 Muslim intellectuals called G25 spokesman Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin ungrateful for purportedly accusing the Malays of greed and of wanting to deny non-Malays their rights.

Ibrahim Ali

The Muslim Intellectual Network pointed out that she had benefited from the country’s pro-Bumiputera affirmative action policy as she was born during the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

“Datuk Farida’s accusation that the Malays are ‘greedy and want to deny the rights of other races’ is an insult to the Malay-Muslims and is utterly baseless,” said the 35 Muslim intellectuals from the Muslim Intellectual Network.

“The average household income of the ‘greedy’ Malay-Muslims and the natives is RM4,457, compared to RM6,630 for the Chinese and RM5,233 for the Indians,” they added.

The group of 35 Muslim intellectuals includes Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, former Universiti Malaya (UM) law lecturer Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah, as well as other former and current academics from public universities like UM and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

They said the majority of Malays failed to reap the benefits of affirmative action policies because a small number of “greedy” elite Malays conspired with elites of other races to take advantage of the pro-Bumiputera policies.

“The agenda behind your campaign clearly shows your aim in eradicating the policy that was in place in the 1980s for Muslims to live according to Shariah law.

“You aim to continue colonial policies instead that isolate the Shariah legal system and deny the right and responsibilities of Muslims to live under Shariah law,” the group of 35 Muslim intellectuals said, in response to G25.

Sinar Harian reported Muslim Intellectual Network coordinator Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid in a separate article as accusing G25 of worsening divisions in the country.

“From what we understand, moderation for them is to not have any laws in this country (including Shariah laws) that contradict the Federal Constitution. That is what they call moderate. Muslims who have the right to develop Shariah laws because they want to live in an Islamic system are instead seen as being extremist,” Mohd Azmi was quoted saying.

The group of 35 Muslim intellectuals also claimed that most Muslims want to live under Shariah law. - Malay Mail