Abdullah should convene an all-party roundtable conference on the Al-Ma’unah arms heists and not just speak to the media about UMNO’s willingness to sit down with PAS to discuss curbing deviationist movements

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Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang 

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This  is a most  welcome and positive development as attempts to politicise the  Al-Ma’unah arms heists and  polarise Malaysians will be a great disservice to nation-building and inimical to Vision 2020 and the Bangsa Malaysia concept.

The Al-Ma’unah arms heists have highlighted two important issues, firstly,  the shocking breakdown of military discipline and security of military armouries and secondly, the Al-Ma’unah deviationist group and the failure of the Islamic Affairs Department (Jakim) to check Islamic deviationist groups espousing violence as a means of their struggle.

However, Abdullah should go beyond just telling the media that  UMNO has "no problems sitting down at the same table with PAS" to prevent people from being drawn towards deviationist teachings and should take steps to  bring about such a meeting between the two parties.

Abdullah should in fact  go  further and secure the support of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to convene an all-party roundtable conference on the Al-Ma’unah arms heists to send out a clear and unmistakable message to all Malaysians and the world, that all political parties in Malaysia:
 

• want full restoration of military discipline and professionalism;
• condemn  the hostage-killings in the Al-Ma’unah arms heists in Kampong Janelik, Grik;
• abjure violence as means of struggle;
• reaffirm their commitment to preserve Malaysia as a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural nation.

(14/7/2000)