A quick internet search will reveal that MCA has likened Umno and PAS to the Taliban on several occasions, said Perak DAP publicity secretary Chong Zhemin (above).
According to Chong's research, official statements by MCA leaders had likened Umno and PAS to the Taliban 138 times, implied or otherwise.
For instance, he said, a report by The Star in 2016 quoted then MCA president Liow Tiong Lai as saying that MCA "does not believe in the Taliban way", while making reference to how PAS had demolished the famous turtle roundabout in Kuala Terengganu to prevent "idol worship".
Chong also cited another report by The Star in 2015, which quoted then MCA Syariah Law and Policy Implementation Special Task Force chairperson Gan Ping Sieu as condemning the Terengganu government's proposal to shame Muslims who do not attend Friday prayers.
Gan had described the proposal, made by the BN state government, as the manifestation of "Taliban-style" laws similar to public shaming seen during the Dark Ages.
Another example cited by Chong was a statement made by the current MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker back in 2017. Ti had insinuated DAP was becoming more "Taliban-friendly" after breaking off with PAS.
Chong, who is Keranji assemblyperson, also referred to a newspaper advertisement by the BN in 2004 that urged Chinese voters to back the coalition or risk having their religious practices curbed, citing how the Taliban in Afghanistan had destroyed statues of Buddha in the Bamyan Valley in 2001.
This was part of a wider campaign by MCA against PAS at the time, which was documented in the Variety Malaysia blog.
Chong said this was only a subset of statements made by MCA to liken PAS and Umno to the Taliban.
He added that the question now is whether former BN leader Najib Abdul Razak and Umno Youth leader Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki will ask the MCA to retract those statements.
Both Najib and Asyraf, among others, had slammed Perak DAP leader Nga Kor Ming for stating that should Umno and PAS rule Malaysia, the country will end up on the same path as Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Nga was also accused of Islamophobia.
