Teresa Kok says racism, not DAP, is the number one enemy of the state.
PETALING JAYA: A movie supposedly about patriotism should encourage racial unity and harmony instead of painting a certain group in a negative light, says DAP MP Teresa Kok.
Commenting on the trailer of “Malay Regiment”, Kok said the movie’s director, Jurey Latiff Rosli, should be reprimanded by the government for inserting a scene that made DAP appear as an enemy of the Malays and the state.
The scene in question depicts a Chinese man standing next to a Mercedes-Benz with “DAP165” on its car plate. It is believed to be a play on the word “DAPigs”, which is a common insult against the party.
In the scene, the man stares at the Parliament building, while a voice-over in Chinese says: “We don’t need to go to war, we just need to use our brains to control the economy.”
“Such a scene that runs down DAP should not be inserted into the movie at all, because it goes against the spirit of ‘1Malaysia’.
“When the country is celebrating its 60th anniversary, a movie on patriotism should promote racial unity, and not create conflicts, hatred and dissension in the country,” Kok said to FMT.
“DAP is not the enemy of the Malays, and not an enemy of the state. Racism is the number one enemy that can destroy Malaysia.”
Earlier today, Communication and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak told Malaysiakini that he had asked the movie makers to remove the scene, which he said was “inappropriate”.
According to the news portal, Jurey had agreed to the request.
Kok commended Salleh for making the request, even before DAP itself.
Meanwhile, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, who is a DAP’s representative in the Penang city council, said although Jurey had denied attempting to portray the party in a negative light through the “DAP165” scene, she believed it was meant to serve as a subliminal message to viewers.
“It’s hate-mongering, DAP and Chinese-bashing propaganda, similar to what we saw with ‘Tanda Putera’,” she said.
“I have relatives who served in the army and a grandfather who served as a policeman during the Malayan emergency. I find this (scene) repulsive and mind-numbingly obtuse.”
Syerleena was referring to a 2013 film which created controversy for allegedly stirring up racial sentiments over its depiction of the ethnic Chinese minority as the aggressors in the May 13, 1969 racial riot.
Syerleena said there were plenty of ways to foster a positive nation-building spirit.
However, she added that the movie was clearly not one of the ways, as it appeared to serve as a “fascist propaganda that drives a wedge to further separate us from one another”.
“The world is changing. The majority of Malaysians are no longer interested in race-based politics and government-endorsed bigotry,” she said.
According to Malaysiakini, the movie is scheduled for screening on Aug 31 in conjunction with the Merdeka Day celebrations.