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KUALA LUMPUR – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad received further criticism on Friday (October 30) for his tweet the day before that “Muslims have the right to be angry and kill millions of French for past massacres. “.
He defended himself on Friday, saying his next prayer that Muslims did not retaliate even though they had the right to do so was omitted by the media.
And he said his request that France show respect for the beliefs of the people was also sidelined in the rush to attack him.
Sarawak’s Chief Deputy Minister James Masing, responding to the news about the comments about the murder of Frenchmen, said: “The law of civilized nations is that no one can take the law into their own hands, let alone take their lives. to someone just because that person happens to disagree with their beliefs or their position on certain issues. “
He added: “Mahathir’s comments about the slaughter of non-Muslims in France are a reflection of who he is as a person. He is not from Malaysia. We live and abide by the rule of law.”
Tun Dr. Mahathir’s comments came at a time of heightened tension in France, shortly after two people died in Nice’s imposing neo-Gothic basilica, including a 60-year-old woman who was nearly beheaded, and a third victim died later. to take refuge in a nearby bar.
The attack in Nice came less than two weeks after the beheading of a teacher shook the nation and led President Emmanuel Macron to suggest that Islam needed enlightenment. The teacher was beheaded by an 18-year-old Chechen man after being offended that the educator showed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a class on freedom of expression.
The US Ambassador to Malaysia, Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, expressed her condolences to the French victims on Friday. He added: “I totally disagree with the recent statement of Tun Dr. Mahathir. Freedom of expression is a right, the call for violence is not.”
On Dr. Mahathir’s blog, some 6,000 angry comments followed his series of comments.
One commenter said “” Is this the language of a respected leader … ?????? It’s totally violent. “
Dr. Mahathir’s tweet had these words immediately after writing that Muslims had the right to kill millions of French, that “in general, Muslims have not enforced the ‘eye for an eye’ law. Muslims have not. French they shouldn’t “t. Instead, the French should teach their people to respect the feelings of others. “
But these have been drowned out by what many see as their call to violence.
The New York Times in a report on the subject in France wrote that “what many French see as their country’s uncompromising defense of their security and free expression is seen by many Muslims as a scapegoat and blasphemous insults to their religion.”
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was ousted from power in 2018 by Dr. Mahathir, tweeted on Friday: “The world should calm down and read @chedetofficial’s statement in its full context,” referring to Dr. Mahathir’s blog.
“I’m sure he didn’t mean exactly what he said,” Najib said. “And even if he did, it is his personal opinion, not Malaysia’s.”
However, Najib said he agreed with the view that Dr. Mahathir’s social media accounts should be removed from him before he does “more damage.”
Dr. Mahathir, in separate comments to defend himself, said: “Due to the twist and out-of-context presentation of those who picked up my post, reports were made against me and I am accused of promoting violence etc … in Facebook and Twitter “.
He spoke out against Facebook and Twitter as “providers of freedom” allowing only one side of the argument.
“On the one hand, they defended those who chose to exhibit offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad and hope that all Muslims will buy it in the name of freedom of expression. On the other hand, they deliberately deleted that Muslims had never sought revenge for injustice against them. in the past “.
Dr Mahathir added: “Even my call for the French to explain the need to advise their people to be sensitive and respect other people’s beliefs is left out. What these reactions to my article promote is inciting French hatred towards Muslims. “
In Indonesia, its Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “Indonesia condemns statements made by the President of France that are disrespectful towards Islam and the Muslim community around the world. The statement has offended more than two billion people. Muslims throughout the world and has caused the division between different beliefs in the world.
“Freedom of expression should not be exercised in a way that tarnishes the honor, sanctity and sacredness of religious values and symbols.
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