We’re ready to go to war if need be, says silat leader

The National Silat Federation (Pesaka) is ready to go to war if need be to defend the dignity of Malays and its leaders, its president Tan Sri Ali Rustam said today. Speaking at the launch of the Wisma Silat Gayong in Kuala Lumpur today, Ali reminded the Malays that they must live with "dignity". Pesaka was one of the main participants of the “red shirt” rally on September 16, also called “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu”, which was to counter the Bersih 4 rally, which rally organisers claimed had insulted the integrity of the Malay race. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was to launch the new Silat Gayong building, but did not attend and was represented by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim. "We wanted to send out a statement that Malays with the art of silat are still in Kuala Lumpur," the former Malacca chief minister said. "We do not want to go to war, but if they want war, we will go to war," he added. Ali said that Malays were "insulted" four times in Kuala Lumpur, referring to the four Bersih rallies since 2007, which had all called for electoral reforms. Ali said that the incident where some participants had stepped on Najib's picture was an example on how certain parties were insulting Malays, the leaders, the constitution, and the Malay rulers. "There is no point of having money if we do not have self value," he said. He said that Pesaka was not looking for trouble, but merely demanded that Malays not be insulted. He also called the September 16 rally a peaceful one. "That was why we had a peaceful rally to show that Silat proponents are still in Kuala Lumpur; to show that Malays are still in Kuala Lumpur," he said. The September 16 rally was filled with incendiary remarks and racially charged banners and placards, and saw some tense moments when participants were upset over questions posed by some journalists, and riot police sprayed chemical-laced water on a group of rowdy rally goers who attempted to breach the police barricades to gain access to Petaling Street. – October 25, 2015.