Wanita MCA chairman Heng Seai Kie criticised Jamal for recently claiming that the Bersih electoral reform group had been infiltrated by IS.
Separately, Barisan Nasional Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Mansor advised Jamal to be cautious in making any statements. “I will leave it to the police to check on Jamal’s allegations,” he said.
“We live in a multiracial country and no other country in the world lives in peace and is successful as what we have right now. All parties, including Jamal should be careful before making statements so that it does not cause chaos or divide people,” he said.
Jamal had recently urged the Home Ministry to take appropriate action against Bersih, but Heng said Bukit Aman (federal police headquarters) “must also investigate if Jamal Yunos himself has any links with IS or any other terrorist organisations like Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiah, whose supporters have been detained in Malaysia.”
She suggests that the Home Ministry also use preventive laws like the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, and the Prevention of Terrorism Act if any terrorist links were evident.
Heng accused Jamal of making “wild allegations” as they could spark acts of vigilantism against Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and other members of the group.
She also questioned the reliability of the purported “reliable source” quoted by Jamal about Bersih’s purported IS links. She said Jamal would not be privy to such details. “Other than Bukit Aman’s counter-terrorism unit and international intelligence agencies, the only other ‘reliable sources’ who would have any knowledge on IS operatives’ movements or plans would be existing IS operatives themselves,” she said.
Heng said Wanita MCA defended Maria’s right to safety, and that of (Bersih) rally-goers “from any potential intimidation and harm from Jamal Yunos, his Red Shirts sidekicks and previously from Mohd Ali Baharom a.k.a Ali Tinju who warned of hounding Maria”.
Citing a “reliable source”, Jamal had recently alleged that Bersih had been infiltrated by IS, and that the Bersih group planned to “take over” several strategic locations during its rally on Nov 19.