Ex-IGP Musa Hassan urges cops to crack down on online ethno-religious insults
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan today urged his successor Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador to be stern and take action against those inciting ethnic tensions on social media.
Speaking at the National Ummah Unity Convention, Musa urged authorities to be on the lookout for those making racist and derogatory statements towards the Malay Rulers, or Islam — even as he said the public must not react to such provocation.
“Action must be taken and I urge the current inspector-general of police to take stern action to ensure order and peace is maintained in the country,” he said during his address.
“If not, the country will be in disorder.
“We as Muslims have to be peaceful so there is no need to react or to gather support to act out, as there are laws already in place,” he added at the event organised by Gerakan Pembela Ummah, a coalition of Malay-Muslim groups.
Ummah had in May organised a rally to defend the “sanctity and sovereignty of Islam”, which was lambasted by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a ploy to draw support for certain political parties.
Musa also accused several quarters for practising so-called reverse discrimination against Muslims.
“When they want to demand for rights, they will say their race is being sidelined by the Malays and their leaders, when in actuality it is not true,” he said, referring to non-Muslims.
“But when the Malays come out to speak of their rights, as stated in the Federal Constitution, they will call the Malays racists.
“This is a form of provocation expecting the Malays to act out, and that is why I hope we are always careful and do not act out unreasonably because when they provoke us, we should deal with the situation with the existing laws,” he added.
Musa had last year questioned non-Muslims for allegedly contesting the affairs and lifestyle of Muslims, suggesting that non-Muslims were being disrespectful of others.
In his speech today, the controversial retired officer also chided those who praised the communists, with some going as far as to label the guerrillas as national heroes.
He said such sentiments were an insult to the country and to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, who by default is the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, and head of the country.
“The police and armed forces bathed in blood to make sure the country is at peace, and yet some have approved the actions of the communists, even to the point where they claimed such statements were not insulting to the police and armed forces.
“In fact, it is a terrible insult, as the authorities have taken care of the country peacefully to the point the ones making these statements are now living lavishly,” he said.
Related Articles In ‘unity convention’, liberalism, Christian evangelism again painted as ‘threats’ to Malay-Muslims Zul Ariffin mahu isteri celik Islam, bimbang kembali agama asal Zul Ariffin kahwin tahun depan, mahu bakal isteri 'kenal Islam' dulu
