Shiite volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), participate in military-style training in Najaf, June 23, 2014. — Reuters pic
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KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Umno must emulate the bravery of a Middle Eastern militant group that defeated an Iraqi force outnumbering it nearly 30 to one if the Malay nationalist party is to survive, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday.
The Umno president and prime minister was listing virtues that were needed to allow the Malay nationalist party to continue in power, during a dinner to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its Cheras branch yesterday.
“For example, when someone dares to fight to their death, they can even defeat a much bigger team.
“As proof — whether we agree or not is another matter — the group ISIL with the strength of just 1,300 people, can defeat an Iraqi army of 30,000 soldiers, until four, five generals with three, four stars run for their lives, jump out the window at night. Why? Because they are afraid of those who are brave,” he told more than 1,000 Umno members in attendance.
He also stressed the importance of being loyal to god, the party, and friends.
Najib said having wisdom and foresight in battles as well as the ability to organise is also crucial in strengthening the party.
The Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant (ISIL) is a splinter group of al-Qaeda that wants to set up an Islamic caliphate encompassing both Iraq and Syria.
ISIL is viewed as a terror organisation by authorities both here and abroad.
A Malaysian suspected of being a member of ISIL was believed to have been the suicide bomber who killed 25 members of an Iraqi police team last month.
Earlier this month, three local men were arrested by police for suspected links to ISIL.
Is Najib a secret admirer of the ISIS jihadists?
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MP SPEAKS The clarification by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s statement on the Islamic State in Iraq and The Levant (ISIL) had been taken out of context raises more questions than answers.
The statement by the PMO said ISIL was “mentioned briefly and in passing” and that the prime minister “in no way indicated any support for ISIL”. It said “any allegation to the contrary is completely false”.
The PMO statement stated: “Indeed, the Malaysian government classifies ISIL as a terrorist organisation and we are doing our part to combat them, for example by arresting suspected ISIL members in Malaysia.
“The prime minister’s strong stance over many years against violence and extremism is on record and remains undiminished. The prime minister has called for a Global Movement of the Moderates, rejecting extremism in all its forms, and he will continue to advocate for moderation.”
The Prime Minister’s Office statement did not say how Najib’s reference to ISIL, which is more commonly known by the translation of its Arabic name, the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham (ISIS), had been taken out of context, nor did it attempt to place Najib’s remarks on ISIL in the proper and correct context.
However, local media reports about Najib’s remarks about ISIL seemed to be fair and straight reporting.
Najib had said at the dinner to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Cheras Umno: “For example, when someone dares to fight to their death, they can even defeat a much bigger team.
"As proof - whether we agree or not is another matter - the group ISIL with the strength of just 1,300 people, can defeat an Iraqi army of 30,000 soldiers, until four, five generals with three, four stars run for their lives, jump out the window at night.
"Why? Because they are afraid of those who are brave."
The local media reported that Najib had said this when he asked the Umno members to emulate the exploits of the Middle Eastern militant group ISIL, which defeated an Iraqi force outnumbering it, when outlining bravery as one of the six virtues Umno needed to survive and flourish in the country.
How had the media report of Najib’s remarks gone “out of all context”.
Clearly, the Prime Minister’s Office was trying to deny the undeniable that Najib had glorified the terrorism of ISIL/ISIS, which is regarded as too extremist even by Al-Qaeda – although Najib did make the qualification of “whether we agree or not is another matter”.
But this only raises the further question: is Najib is a secret admirer of the ISIL/ISIS jihadists?
Be that as it may, it must be recognised that Najib’s praise/glorification of the ISIL/ISIS jihadists is a major faux pax for a Malaysian prime minister and one who had called for a Global Movement of the Moderates, advocating Wasatiyah to reject all forms of violence and extremism, whether political or religious.
Malaysians, as well as our Asean neighbours and the international community, want to believe that Najib is not a secret admirer of the ISIL/ISIS jihadists, but the statement by the Prime Minister’s Office trying to deny the undeniable is incapable of achieving this objective.
Let Najib himself state clearly and unequivocally what he really meant in his speech at the Cheras Umno division's 20th anniversary celebration on Monday.
LIM KIT SIANG is DAP’s Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP.
Dr M: Malays willing to kill their way to Heaven
Following claims that some Malaysians are involved in militant activities, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad lamented that Malays are now willing to kill their way to Heaven - both themselves and fellow Muslims.-
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