Don't let clerics distort facts about non-Malays, military retirees say

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 14 Jan 2018 10:00AM · 7 Comments

ational Patriots’ Association Brigadier General (Rtd) Mohd Arshad Raji says distorting history to suit one’s political purpose and instill hatred towards non-Malays is irresponsible. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 14, 2018.

PUTRAJAYA must set the record straight about non-Malays who fought for the country and not let Muslim groups get away with distorting history, the National Patriots’ Association said in response to claims made at a gathering of Islamic pressure groups yesterday.

The Rise of the Ummah convention yesterday should not distort history by crediting Malays only for fighting the communists and other enemies, said Patriots president Mohamed Arshad Raji, a retired brigadier general.

He said the convention’s keynote speaker Ismail Mina Ahmad, who is chairman of umbrella group Gerakan Pembela Ummah, had showed himself to be ignorant of facts and history.

“Distorting history to suit one’s political purpose and instill hatred towards non-Malays is totally irresponsible,” Arshad said in a statement today.

Ismail Mina was reported saying that only Malays had fought the communists, British and Japanese. As such, non-Malays were a danger to Islam and Malay political rule, he added.

Arshad said it was disappointing that an elderly cleric who should have promoted wisdom, love and understanding had instead inspired hatred. 

History showed that non-Malays had fought the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), protected the homeland during the Confrontation with Indonesia, were members of the Home Guard and had participated in peacekeeping missions abroad, he said.

Neither was the CPM entirely Chinese, Arshad added, noting that many of its prominent leaders had been Malay such as Abdullah CD, Rashid Mydin, and Samsiah Fakeh.

The Patriot president said Ismail Mina could also have been “manipulated” by others “especially with the general election looming (as) all kinds of underhanded tactics would be employed”.

“Patriot is very disappointed with those who sponsored Ummah in their forum that was peppered with hate speeches and distorted historical facts. At a time when our economy is facing so much of uncertainty…any action that causes disunity will do a disfavour to our nation and society,” Arshad said.

He said the Ministers of Defence and Home Affairs, as well as the heads of the armed forces and the police, should set the record straight about the service of the different ethnic groups in defending the country. 

“The chief of the Armed Forces Religious Corps (KAGAT) (also) needs to also make a statement to guide other clerics against deviant teaching.”

Gerakan Pembela Ummah is said to have around 300 local Muslim pressure groups as members.

Ismail Mina was also reported saying that those who disagreed with the Federal Constitution should live in another country, while a representative of the Malaysian Association of Former Education Officers had told the convention that the government should end federal scholarships for non-Muslim students. – January 14, 2018.

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Comments

  • I can use all type of words to describe on Ismail Mina knowledge...by doing so I will be tarnishing a fellow UNEDUCATED Malaysian. THE AUTHORITY MUST ACT BEFORE OTHERS COMMUNITY STARTS SPEWING WORST WORDS ON ISMAIL MINA GROUP..

    Posted 6 years ago by Mohanarajan murugeson · Reply

  • A police report should be made to investigate Ismail Mina for uttering seditious words.

    Posted 6 years ago by Meng Kow Loh · Reply

  • Malaysians are wise and peace loving people. Hatred are not in our genes. Words of ill intent whether personal or manipulated will certainly backfire.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Read the "The Jungle is Neutral", the unexpurgated and original edition. One will find there were many Malay Japanese collaborators and the MPAJA was the truly fighting force.

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

    • That is the very fact that cannot be denied. A cleric who knows nuts about what is in Malaya do not deserve to be a citizen of Malaysia. He is just seeking attention from MO1. We should pack him off togather with Zakir Naik to US and be the guest of POTUS -Trump. Same DNA in causing racial disputes.

      Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Selective memories! British fought for you against the malaya commies after Malaya independence and during the konfrontasi in Borneo along the border with Indonesia post Malaysia independence with the help of the Sarawak rangers. So don't be selective, everyone fought the 'communist' rebels.

    What this Ismail is saying is seditious without honour for all who died for Malaya & Malaysia.

    Posted 6 years ago by Bob Archie · Reply

  • Ismail Mina Ahmad is not ignorant of facts and history. His actions is with purpose using the current situation to stir shits and playing to the gallery of the PM office. He should have been hauled immediately for a seditious crime inciting racial riots. It is a felony of the highes order. MO1 back is already to the wall with the old man pushing hard and comes high water he is now using whatever means that discomforts the Rakyat not forgetting he has stigmatised the Chinese as the factor on the BN 2013 loss from the Tsunami effects. By keeping silent and letting his lackeys creating commotions hopefully to mayhem will allow him to enforce his despicable NSA. PH Malays especially with Madhatir must go out in the open to condemn the idiotic and senseless remarks. Ismail a cleric should be charged too in Sharia court for befoulment on his own religion through the lies and premeditated distortions of facts. He is more dangerous than both Ali Tinju and Jamil Jamban combined . This is no more a laughing matter and PH has got to be proactive in stamping out such acts in the bud by being vocal and prempting any more wanabees with such thoughts to impress the MO1.

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply