Unite against Tian Chua, Lahad Datu ‘conspirators’, Hishammuddin tells youth
The Umno vice-president said leaders like Chua had insulted the country’s armed forces despite losing their lives to protect Malaysia’s sovereigntySyed Jaymal Zahiid, TMI
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein urged the country’s youth today to rally behind Barisan Nasional (BN) and “eliminate traitors” like PKR’s Chua Tian Chang, whose allies in the opposition have been accused of instigating the Sabah incursion.
Speaking before the ruling coalition’s election machinery here, the Umno vice-president said leaders like Chua had insulted the country’s armed forces despite losing their lives to protect Malaysia’s sovereignty.
“What is going on in Sabah should not be politicised, this is an issue of our sovereignty.
“Whose hand is it behind the intrusion, is there a third party involved? Who is this person who would forsake his own race and nation just because he wants power?” Hishammuddin told some 1,000 party youth supporters who responded with loud shouts of “Kill Tian Chua”.
Hishammuddin, who is also the home minister, however, did not explicitly accuse Chua and his PKR colleagues of engineering the incursion which has killed more than 70 people including 10 Malaysian security forces personnel.
The Umno leader instead said leaders like Chua, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, were promoting divisive politics by spreading rumours about the Lahad Datu conflict.
“The youth must reject this politics of division, politics that aims to slander the national leaders, to sow hatred towards the government.
“Remember the fate of this country rests on your shoulders, the young, not Tian Chua, not Nurul Izzah, and especially, not Anwar.
“So let us fight. Fight against these enemies who are out to divide us,” he said.
Chua, who is PKR vice-president, was accused of insulting the security forces when he described the death of two police officers killed in the conflict as “mati katak”. He was also quoted, as saying by the party organ, that the Sulu armed incursion of Sabah was an Umno conspiracy. He denied the allegation and had taken legal action.
Meanwhile, government-owned media have tried to link the conflict to Anwar after its Philippines counterparts quoted a military intelligence officer as suggesting that an opposition leader allied to the PKR advisor had instigated the Sulu Sultunate to launch the armed campaign.
The report was carried by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia and TV3.
