Guan Eng defends Muslim countries, calls Soi Lek ignorant

Guan Eng defends Muslim countries, calls Soi Lek ignorant

Guan Eng polishing UMNO's balls You make the judge how Guan Eng twists and turn .

Yoges Palaniappan, Malaysian Insider

GEORGE TOWN, August 7 — Lim Guan Eng today said he differed strongly with Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s portrayal of Muslim countries as backward and corrupt nations, pointing out that the MCA president should educate himself on Islamic civilisation.

Did Chua Soi Lek say all Muslim countries ? Chua said some not all . What has Islamic civilisation got to do with with some present leaders who are corrupt ? Do you agree on this point ? Even China during the reign of the Emperors were corrupt and China at that time was the greatest Non-Islamic civilisation . So again I say Guan Eng is spinning and twisting facts to the detriment of the Chinese in Malaysia . Must be polishing UMNO's and PAS's balls

The Penang chief minister said Dr Chua should educate himself in history that the civilisation of Islam was filled not just with global empires, but also with glory in art, learning, algebra and astronomy.

“Muslim countries are suffering from the same problems suffered by India and China previously,” he said today at the launch of Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz International Integrity Conference at Eastin Hotel here.

“Only when India and China were free, independent and not dominated by imperialistic powers, were they able to realise their potential and take their place in the world stage,” he added.

Dr Chua had said yesterday that some of the most corrupt countries in the world had a Muslim-majority.

He also appeared to criticise Umno as well as PAS yesterday for using religion to compete for Malay support. Dr Chua blamed this on how the country had been trapped as a “middle income” nation for more than 10 years, claiming that the competition between the two Malay-centric parties had led to some “non-progressive policies”.

Lim said today that Muslim nations could recapture their past glories like India and China, if they were allowed to be similarly unshackled like the two countries.

Later at a press conference, Lim told reporters that Dr Chua was just trying to distract the attention from the real root of the problem, which he said was Umno.

“Don’t blame it on Islam; I think that’s not fair,” he said, adding that Dr Chua should instead ask “serious questions” to Umno on issues such as sports gambling and on “kalimah Allah”.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was also at the press conference, agreed with Lim.

Anwar said Dr Chua “had clearly displayed ignorance and arrogance” over his remarks.

“In my mind this is unacceptable of a party leader in the coalition,” he said, adding that leaders who wish to save the country must strive to increase their knowledge.

He also said that it was important for non-Muslims to understand the contributions of the Muslim community and vice versa.

With 60% Malay majority in Malaysia , UMNO and PAS can rule and form the next federal govt , without the Chinese ( MCA , Gerakan and DAP all combined ) , are you aware of this Mr Cheap Minister ? And here you are polishing for them !

Most Chinese would agree with Chua

What did Chua actually say to create such a commotion? “When Umno and PAS use religion to strengthen their influence, we can see that some non-progressive policies are made and that the country has been trapped as a middle income nation for more than 10 years,” Chua had told an MCA convention in Kedah.

So basically, what the MCA president was saying was that because of the Umno and PAS tendency to play up religious issues to win over Malay voters, it has led to “non-progressive” policies which have resulted in the entire nation suffering the effects of economic underperformance.

Is this true? Ask any non-Malay, especially the Chinese, and don't be surprised as many as 9 out of 10 would agree - and absolutely too! Umno should commission a survey if it doesn't believe this is so.

But that’s not the point. What is most important now for Chua to note because this is what all the other Chinese in the country are noting is the total disrespect that Khir and his colleagues have shown to him, the MCA and the Chinese community by extension.

None of his Umno colleagues appear to have spared any thought as to how tough the MCA predicament must be given the changing times and having to work under a "bully" boss like Umno. All that Khir and his ilk are interested in is how they can further slaughter Chua and his party to maximize their own brownie points with their community.