Dap Youth Lodges 11 Reports Over Gamis May 13 Statement

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DAP Youth student movement leader Calvin Yeoh (second from right, arms crossed) speaking to reporters with fellow member Lee Wei Seang (gesturing, third from right).BUKIT MERTAJAM: A DAP youth leader today said a Muslim university students’ coalition had “crossed the line” of free speech when it threatened a repeat of the May 13, 1969 riots over the issue of Jawi being taught in all schools
DAP Youth’s student movement leader Calvin Yeoh said Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (Gamis) had abused its freedom of speech and politicking rights set out in the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971
In a press conference outside the Bukit Mertajam police headquarters here, Yeoh said the May 13 threat —the country’s worst sectarian violence — should never be used as leverage by any group
“Gamis should have been mature and critical
“Incidents such as May 13 will never benefit anyone. The loss of lives and property at that time was a black mark on our country’s history
“Instead, Gamis should have taken a more moderate approach, like big brother Abim, which wanted to sit down in a muhibah camp with Chinese educationist group Dong Zong
“Such a moderate approach can sow empathy among races, instead of hate,” he said
Yeoh said it was unfortunate that Gamis has used a narrow narrative in making their statements and has left DAP Youth with no choice but to lodge a police report against it today
He said the report was lodged as part of a nationwide move to urge police to investigate Gamis for creating unrest and disharmony among races with their statement
Yeoh said DAP Youth would be lodging a total of 11 police reports in various towns in the peninsula and Sabah
On Dec 24, Gamis had put out a statement saying Dong Jiao Zong, the Chinese educationist group, was courting another May 13 with its protest against Jawi being taught in schools
Gamis had done so in a headline of the statement, which read: “Ayuh Bersama Dong Zong, Jangan Ulangi Peristiwa 13 Mei 1969”
Dong Jiao Zong was in the news of late after it planned to hold a congress on Dec 28, to discuss the government’s introduction of a Jawi calligraphy module in schools

Malay and Muslim NGOs have lodged reports against the group, insisting that it would cause unrest. - FMT

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