PAS Youth scoffs at silat warning

SHAH ALAM, June 30 PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan has ridiculed the threat by a silat organisation to wage war on Bersih supporters, pointing out that true warriors do not readily resort to violence.

He said last night that if Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia (PPSLM) chief Tan Sri Omardin Mauju could not control his students emotions, he should not bother to call himself a grandmaster.

Little bit want to fight, little bit want to fight. Thats not a warrior, thats short-temper, Nasruddin (picture) told nearly 2,000 supporters at Stadium Malawati here.

The Prophet Muhammad once said that a true warrior was not someone who could fell an enemy but one who demonstrated self-control when angry, Nasruddin reminded the crowd.

He said if Omardin could not keep a lid on his students anger, they should just rally on another day and not on July 9.

The PPSLM grandmaster said yesterday that more than 50,000 silat exponents were prepared to wage war on Bersih activists.

We maintain our stand to go to war if they still want to proceed with this illegal rally, he told Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia.

If it happens, I cannot guarantee I can control the emotions of my members because they have been taught to act when faced with opposition.

Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 will take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on that day to hand a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to demand free and fair elections.

The government, however, insists that elections are already free and fair, citing the oppositions historic gains in Election 2008.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) hopes the demonstration will generate momentum ahead of a general election expected within a year.

The first Bersih rally in 2007 saw up to 50,000 people take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur before being dispersed by police armed with tear gas and water ca! nnons.

The demonstration has been partly credited for PRs record gains in the 2008 general election when the opposition pact swept to power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats.