Call on army generals  not to  compromise their professionalism and become tools in the  Barisan Nasional plot to politicise the Al-Ma’unah arms heists to attack the Barisan Alternative 

---

Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang 

---

Yesterday, Barisan Nasional MPs were given a briefing in Parliament on the Grik arms heists and the Al-Ma’unah deviationist cult.

Among those at the briefing were the  Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, the Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Army Field Commander Lt.-Jen. Datuk Seri Zaini Mohd Said.

As the 45 Barisan Alternative and Opposition MPs were excluded from the briefing, Zaini should not have appeared at the  briefing which was clearly not a parliamentary function but one organised by the ruling coalition only - unless he is prepared to give a separate briefing to the Barisan Alternative MPs.

When news of the end of the Al-Ma’unah arms heists stand-off at Bukit Jenalik and the heroics of Zaini were reported in the news media on 7th July, 2000, I immediately and spontaneously issued a media statement particularly commending Zaini for his  outstanding example.

This is because I regard Zaini and the armed services as serving the Malaysian government, nation and people and not the Barisan Nasional - and the armed forces are a Malaysian and not a Barisan Nasional armed forces.

By the same reason, Zaini and the army should be giving a briefing to Malaysian MPs and not just Barisan Nasional MPs. Army officers  should jealously safeguard their professionalism and non-partisan neutrality and  not become a tool or plaything of the political games of the Barisan Nasional in wanting to politicise the Al-Ma’unah arms heists against the Opposition.

On Monday night, the Barisan Alternative leaders from DAP, PAS, Keadilan and PRM met in Petaling Jaya and discussed at length the Al-Ma’unah arms heists and killings and reached a consensus which included the following:
 

• Unreserved condemnation of all forms of religious deviationist cults, whether Islam or  non-Muslim, which espouse violence to achieve their purported ends.
• Unreserved condemnation of Al-Ma'unah killing of police detective Kpl R. Sagadevan and  commando Matew ak Medan and full national recognition of their sacrifice in the service of the country with government responsibility for the welfare of the families they had left  behind.
• Need for an independent inquiry into the Al-Ma'unah arms heists and killings to find answers to many nagging questions, including;

1. How it was so easy for the security of two military camps in Grik to be breached  and such a vast cache of high-calibre weaponry robbed by a motley band headed by what the Inspector-General of Police had described as  "mentally-unbalanced" ex-army private.
2. Was it possible for three Pajeros to cart away such an arsenal of weaponry together  with the gang of 15 who raided the two military  armouries on July 2.
3. Why the army was unaware that ranger Matew was one of the hostages in the hands of  Al-Ma’unah gang at Bukit Jenalik until the surrender of the gang in the five-day  stand-off.
4. Why did the Home Ministry approve registration of Al-Ma'unah in 1999 when in 1995   the army had already classified "Ma'unah" as a form of Islamic deviation activities?
5. Why was the Police so remiss as not to be aware of the activities of Al-Ma'unah if the UMNO Information Chief, Datuk Mustapha Mohamad is right that Al-Ma'unah instigated its members to topple the elected government by force.

All Malaysians, whether Barisan Nasional and Barisan Alternative, regardless of race or religion, should be able to reach consensus on these concerns, and this is why the Opposition leaders jointly extended an invitation to Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Barisan Nasional leaders to a roundtable conference  to  transcend party politics and to take a non-partisan national approach to deal with the aftermath of the Al-Ma’unah arms heists to  ensure the solidarity between the non-Muslims and Muslims for the common welfare of all Malaysian citizens.

Unfortunately, the Barisan Nasional-controlled mainstream media virtually blacked out this initiative and invitation by the Barisan Alternative leaders to the Barisan Nasional leaders for a round-table discussion so as not to politicise the Al-Ma’unah arms heists, when they should have given it great prominence to show the readiness of the Opposition leaders to transcend party politics on this important issue.

(19/7/2000)