PETALING JAYA: All Malaysians have a duty to maintain the peace and harmony of a multiracial country, says National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

“As responsible Malaysian citizens, it is our duty to uphold the peace and harmony of the nation by avoiding provocative acts and violence that may lead to conflict and unrest,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook yesterday.

He said the people should refrain from engaging in actions that may cause racial tension. His statement came following Saturday’s Molotov cocktail attack on a KK Super Mart outlet in Sungai Isap, Kuantan.

Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail urged the people of Pahang to remain calm and let the authorities take action on the case.

“I do not rule out the possibility that the culprits intended to provoke the public.

“I leave it to the police to investigate and take appropriate action,” he said.

The attack at the KK Super Mart outlet in Kuantan came after an earlier attack on a branch of the convenience store in Bidor, Perak.

The incidents followed the controversy over the discovery of socks printed with the word “Allah” being sold at a KK Super Mart in Selangor.

The Alliance for a Safe Community founder and chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye called on Malaysians to let the law take its course.

He added that there was a need to move on from contentious issues, especially those that could cause disunity, unhappiness and possible violence.

“We need to move on from all other issues that take our attention away from important matters like the economy and the country’s wellbeing.

“In a multiracial society like ours, embracing this diversity should be celebrated as a strength rather than a source of division.

“It is time for us to recognise the dangers of continuously stoking sensitive issues for personal or political gain,” he said in a statement.

“Regardless of race, religion or social status, every individual is entitled to equal protection under the law.

“Rather than taking matters into our own hands, let us trust the legal system to uphold justice and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions,” he added.

Separately, PAS said it will not take part in the movement to boycott KK Super Mart convenience stores over the socks issue.

Its ulama wing chief Datuk Ahmad Yahya stressed, however, that the party does not support any form of mockery of Islam.

He added that the authorities should take swift and stern action against those who insult any religion and create unease among the people.

“Our leadership just wants strict action to be taken against those responsible,” Ahmad said, according to Sinar Harian.

“I am sure that if action is taken this issue will subside,” he added.

On Saturday, Kuantan police chief Asst Comm Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said an unknown person had hurled a petrol bomb at the entrance to the store in Sungai Isap.

The first petrol bomb incident was reported in Bidor, Perak, on March 26, but the petrol bomb, which hit the five-foot walkway in front of the shop, did not ignite.

The convenience store chain recently came under fire after socks printed with the word “Allah” were found at its branch in Bandar Sunway, Selangor.

The company has since issued apologies but calls for a boycott persist.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/01/minister-reject-racial-divide