Ali Tinju Tries To Make An Incident In Melaka A Racial Thing But Gets Schooled Instead
And claimed CM Idris should be grateful to him for that.
By Sadho Ram — 08 Oct 2015, 05:11 PM
On the night of 30 September, around 9pm, officers from the Malacca Immigration Department were assaulted by some 40 people during a raid at a karaoke outlet in Taman Melaka Raya
According to a report in The Star Online, Malacca Immigration Department Deputy Director Abu Bakar Sidek Hassan said the three immigration officers were part of a 19 enforcement personnel involved in Ops Ingkar on that day.
The raid at the outlet was conducted following a tip-off that there were a number of foreign guest relation officers without valid documents. During the raid, the officers arrested 12 female foreigners aged between 19 and 28.
Later on 3 October, NST reported that five suspects were arrested to facilitate the police investigations while IGP Khalid Abu Bakar said the police are hunting for more individuals linked to the case
It was only a minor incident, which Abu Bakar himself said that his officers had accepted the incident as a job hazard. However, Mohd Ali, better known as Ali Tinju, who has a history of issuing racially charged remarks based on false rumours, would have none of it.
The former army man-turned protest leader reportedly threatened to hold a mass gathering at an entertainment enclave in Malaka if no action was taken against those who assaulted three state enforcement officers.
He said that as many as 10,000 #Merah169 followers will descend upon Malacca this Saturday, 10 October, to rally for what he described as justice for a Malay immigration officer allegedly beaten by Chinese gangsters.
The head of the Association of Armed Forces Veterans also warned that Malacca Raya, the location where the officer was said to have been assaulted, "would not be safe", but insisted his warning was not a threat against the Chinese community there, but just "general" advice for everyone to keep safe.
Aji Tinju claimed he wants justice for the officers who were attacked, saying "We want justice. We want fairness for the officers".
The leader of the controversial 'Red Shirts', however, did not elaborate nor explained how exactly a gathering at a predominantly Chinese area would help give the assaulted officers justice.
Ali Tinju said that as many as 10,000 #Merah169 followers will descend upon Malacca this Saturday to rally for what he described as justice for a Malay immigration officer allegedly beaten by Chinese gangsters.
Image via Yusof Mat IsaFollowing his threat, Abu Bakar, the Deputy Director of the Malacca Immigration Department, said his department can take care of itself
He added that they do not need the likes of Ali Tinju to defend the state Immigration Department or fight its battles and also told the former soldier not to use 30 September incident as an excuse to hold his planned rally.
"We don’t want to see the incident manipulated as a political or racial issue. My officers and I were just carrying out our responsibilities in a professional manner to eliminate the existence of illegals in the area following a tip-off," he was quoted as saying by The Star Online.
Saying that none of his officers had voiced any grievance to Ali Tinju over the assault, Abu Bakar added they take it as a risk factor
"We even received death threats during previous incidents and we still carried on. Where was Ali Tinju then?"
Abu Bakar said the raid at the outlet was conducted following a tip-off that there were a number of foreign guest relation officers without valid documents.
"We had no ulterior motive in conducting a raid as the operation was part of our frequent checks at outlets within the entertainment enclave of Taman Melaka Raya."
"I don't understand why the issue has suddenly been blown out of proportion. We never sought any help from Ali Tinju to defend us or utter racially tinged statements," he said.
However, the harshest rebuttal to Aji Tinju came from Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron, who when asked to comment on the issue, said: "Don't even mention his (Ali's) name. He is not a good person."
Idris, while denouncing the former soldier for trying to derail the state government's objective of continuing the legacy of the Malacca Sultanate in upholding racial harmony, said he would not allow Ali Tinju to destroy the state's long history of racial unity.
“It’s not worth mentioning his name at all and giving him unnecessary publicity that would only make him continue issuing nonsensical and absurd statements. Just blanket him from the media."
“My stance is loud and clear that people with ‘bad intentions’ shouldn’t be entertained in this historic and harmonious state,” he was quoted as saying by The Star Online.
The Malacca Chief Minister said he was working very hard to make Malacca a progressive state and the people should enjoy the fruits of success without being disrupted by anyone with ill intentions
"I can assure that all Malaccans are safe and no one could utter overt threats or hurt them when I am at helm as the chief minister," Idris said.
malaysiakini.com
Idris said Malaka has been a melting pot of cultures for centuries and he will continue to flourish ethnic cohesion to a greater level. Idris chided Mohd Ali for interfering into Malacca’s affairs and making a mountain out of a molehill on a trivial issue.
"Don't teach me my job, who does he think he is?" he exclaimed.
"I have built my grassroots rapport through years of friendship and trust, where every single development whether good or bad, were brought to my attention. I am also confident with Malacca police in handling any issues, so let them do their job, too," he added.
Not the one to easily give up, Ali Tinju then "advised" the Malacca Chief Minister that he should solve the state's disco problem instead of hitting out at those who are trying to help him.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, the former soldier claimed that nightclubs caused many social ills in the state such as drunkenness and drug use, which could lead to road accidents, theft, and even rape.
"I advise Idris to go to ground to observe the discos in Malacca which are open till 6am. It is better for him to solve that problem rather than to accuse me of nonsense," Mohd Ali said when contacted.
Ali revealed that he had sent WhatsApp messages to Idris on various matters but never got a reply. He added that as a son of Malacca, he had a right to help his state and Idris should be grateful for that.
"Idris should not attack me for defending the immigration officers. It's not like I've come to create trouble, sell drugs, prostitute girls, sell state land or state secrets."
malaysiakini.com
However, it appears Ali Tinju has lost his battle (for now) to "defend the immigration officers" after he had to bow down to pressure from the police and authorities, who were working to haul him up for his rally threat, as he has called off his rally on Saturday, 10 October
“Authorities told us to cancel the protest. I respect their advice because on that day, it is the Yang di-Pertua Negri’s birthday and we will respect his birthday,” he said when contacted by The Star Online Thursday.
“I did not know that it was the Yang di-Pertua’s birthday on that day. If I had known, I would not have planned the rally,” he stressed.