THE 14th general election must not be based on race and religion, which were being used to cover up corruption and government incompetency, said Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh, who is again the target of accusations about an alleged Christian agenda to take over Malaysia.

Referring to the police report lodged by Muslim groups in Penang on a three-year-old video and article on Christianity, the DAP assemblyman said there were “hidden hands at work” stirring sentiments to distract voters from important issues.

“This is to distract attention from real issues like 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB), higher cost of living, declining standard of education, shrinking budget for the police force, hospitals and welfare department and safety of children like the tahfiz fire last week,” she said in a text message to The Malaysian Insight.

More than a dozen Muslim groups in Penang lodged police reports over a video and article on Christianity posted three years ago, alleging it was the work of Christian evangelists out to incite people to invade and take over the country.

The groups, which include Jaringan Muslimin Pulau Pinang (JMPP), Pekida, Perkasa, and Penang PAS, also claimed that the video titled “Message to the Malaysian church 2014”, which can be viewed on YouTube, contained “seditious” elements.

Yeoh asked why Muslim groups seemed to be picking random videos on YouTube and connecting them with DAP.

“Is this really how the next election is to be fought? Why keep stirring religious and racial lies to cover up corruption and incompetency?”

The Muslim groups, led by Mohd Hafiz Kassim, said the seven-minute video contained messages like “prepare for the war”.

He then took aim at Yeoh, whom he alleged had urged student Christian group the Overseas Christian Fellowship (OCF) to go to Penang to help the Christian movement because it was a calling from God, in her book Becoming Hannah. 

Hafiz said his police report against the YouTube video and article had also mentioned Yeoh because earlier reports lodged against her had not resulted in any action.

In May, Yeoh was targeted by Universiti Utara Malaysia senior lecturer Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, who accused the Subang Jaya assemblyman of using her book to proselytise Muslims.

Yeoh today said that since questions had now been raised about the Christian understanding about the “Kingdom of God”, she needed to explain it.

“The Kingdom of God is mentioned many times in the bible about his righteousness governing our hearts and minds. 

“He says to love him, to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, to reject corruption, to walk humbly, to do justice, to look after the orphans and widows. That my friend, is what the Kingdom of God looks like.”

Her explanation was also posted on her Facebook page.

Yeoh said she would not initiate any action against Hafiz as it would be a “waste of police time”. 

“He had a question about the Kingdom of God. I have answered him. ... Police have more important things to do.” – September 25, 2017.