Now, UMNO Senator Ezam Mohd Nor says his threat to “burn” two news portals for maligning JAIS was merely a “symbolic” expression. Yet in the next breath, he showed his political finesse by calling embattled Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon “bodoh” or "stupid" for rebuking him over the threat.
"Malaysiakini/Malaysian Insider are cyber news portals. No threat to burn reporters or building. The remarks were only symbolic of the anger towards them for burning the hearts of the Muslim community),” Ezam said on his Twitter site.
The former PKR Youth leader who defected for a red carpet welcome by former UMNO president Abdullah Badawi has also managed to get into the good books of current Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Not only has Ezam inveigled a Senatorship, he has been put in charge of some UMNO-linked NGOs, the most recently established was the Gerakan Cegah Murtad (or Movement against Proselytization). At one time, there was even talk that Ezam might be put in charge of Selangor UMNO which has been spilt by the feuding between former chief Khir Toyo and current state No. 2, Noh Omar.
However, after his latest comments which shocked the nation due to its balatant criminal content, it is likely that Ezam might be placed in quarantine for a while before he wreaks further damage to the BN's image.
“We have no choice but to wage war to protect the Muslim faith. We give you a last warning. If you don’t stop, we’ll burn,” Ezam had said after Friday prayers at a Shah Alam mosque. He also warned Muslim staff of Malaysiakiniand Malaysian Insider not to become agents for infidels.
Not satisfied, he then extended his warning to Selangor’s Christian exco members- Teresa Kok, Elizabeth Wong, Ronnie Liu and Xavier Jayakumar. “We have a problem if the Menteri Besar pawns Islam for votes. We have problems with infidels who convert Muslims,” he said.
Ezam was trying to galvanize the Malays into supporting JAIS or the Selangor Islamic Religious Department in a row over the raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church.
Bodoh, you
Tsu Koon, also a BN member of Senate, said Ezam had not only tarnished his own image as "a senator but also that of the organisations he represents".
"If he thinks that reports in the online news portals were not correct and proper, he should present cogent arguments against them, present relevant facts and solid evidence, or even take legal action," said Koh.
"Unfortunately, instead of using his intellect and influence to argue and counter whatever he did not agree with, he allowed himself to be overtaken by emotions and sentiments which have evoked negative reaction of others."
But despite the rebuke from Tsu Koon, a senior BN leader and former Penang chief minister of nearly 2 deacdes, Ezam was unrepenting. To him, the Gerakan president was merely “stupid”.
“Don't follow PKR's tune in stupidly comparing the burning of Mkini/MInsider with the London riots. The end result of Muslims' sensitivities being burned are grave to communal harmony. Act before it's too late,” said Ezam.
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