Zahid condemns tearing down of Christmas banner

The attack was merely inviting disrespect for Islam.

IPOH: Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has criticised in no uncertain terms the act of a Malay Muslim individual, allegedly from Perkasa, who tore down a Christmas and New Year greeting banner displayed outside the DAP Perak headquarters on Friday.

The suspect, also allegedly tugged Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Ong Boon Piow by the arm and wanted him to convey a message to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng: “Malaysia is not China”.

The attack, Zahid implied, was merely inviting disrespect for Islam.

However, his hands are evidently tied unless DAP Perak or any concerned party lodges a police report. A civil suit can also be filed against the alleged culprit.

Zahid, also Bagan Datoh MP, said the attack was disrespectful and unwarranted. He pointed out that the secular Federal Constitution guaranteed freedom of worship although it noted that Islam was the religion of many people in the Federation.

“We should respect other faiths. I have been consistent in my view that if we want our religion to be respected, we must also respect that of others,” he said on the sidelines of a function in Meru Raya on Friday.

“I am sure if someone were to do that to us (Umno), we will be angry too.”

It was believed that the act of tearing down the banner was in response to Lim saying in Penang that non-Muslims could use the Arabic term for God, Allah. Lim also qualified his statement to read that it was unlikely that non-Muslims in Penang would use the term Allah since they prayed in Tamil, English and Chinese, in an apparent reference to Christians.

Lim did not mention the Sikhs whose Holy Book mentioned Allah 37 times.

The condemnations of Perkasa have come in thick and fast.

Perak DAP adviser Ngeh Koo Ham condemned the violence and said that tugging Ong by the arm was tantamount to assault.

Perak MCA Youth chief Ting Tai Fook warned Perkasa that it was unlawful to damage private property.

Titiwangsa MP Johari Abdul Ghani and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad condemned the attack as a provocation by Perkasa and an invitation to disrespect Islam.