DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) chief Woo Kah Leong has criticised PAS for its delayed stance on the upside-down flag controversy, questioning if the party was worried about losing the spotlight to Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh.
Woo said PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan’s statement against lodging police reports on “political thuggery” raised doubts about whether PAS condoned the intimidation of small traders.
“Takiyuddin claimed PAS Youth was advised not to interfere, but the truth is, a week earlier, PAS Youth had already launched a so-called ‘flag patrol squad’ to hunt down those accused of hoisting the flag upside down. Isn’t this a contradiction?” Woo said.
He added that PAS Youth appeared eager to “ride on the issue” by supporting Akmal’s action in Penang but failed to show up during the protest itself.
“In a diverse society like Malaysia, politicians should build bridges of unity, not fan division and ethnic sentiments. Schools are not the enemy, small traders are not the enemy; the real enemy is politicians who exploit such issues for cheap publicity,” Woo stressed.
Earlier today, Takiyuddin Hassan urged DAP and Umno to settle the Jalur Gemilang controversy internally, criticising Loke Siew Fook’s call for police reports as excessive and counterproductive.
He said the issue had been unnecessarily magnified by the reciprocal actions of both parties, each with their own motives.
“This matter arose merely from one individual mistakenly hoisting the Malaysian flag upside down, which is already under police investigation. There is no need to increase the workload of the authorities or draw society into unproductive discussions,” he said.
Takiyuddin confirmed that PAS had instructed its youth wing not to interfere in the matter.
