FAC News - Wednesday, February 20, 2002 11:21 AM

Deport Shaykh Kabbani and ban him from entering Malaysia: Lim

Lim Kit Siang, the Chairman of the Democratic Action Party, said the Cabinet should redeem Malaysia’s honour and reputation by deporting Shaykh Mohammad Hisham Kabbani from Malaysia and declaring him a persona non grata unless he can furnish proof to substantiate his allegation that Malaysia was inevitably linked to extremist US Islamic groups.

“The Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, said yesterday that Wisma Putra will liaise with certain quarters in the United States to get proof about a former Cabinet Minister who is said to have contributed US$10 million Dollars to US Islamic organisations with possible links to extremist groups,” said Lim.

“The statement by the government that it will seek verification from the United States of the serious allegations by Shaykh Kabbani has come one week too late,” added Lim.

“Shaykh Kabbani had impugned not just the reputation of a former Cabinet Minister, but Malaysia's national reputation as well, especially as he had alleged that in post-September 11,
when the Islamic organisations in the United States were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for possible links with several extremist groups, Malaysia was inevitably linked.”

Lim went on to say, “This is the first time in the nation's history that a foreigner could come
to Malaysia to malign the country and tarnish our international reputation and be feted as a "hero" with free access to the top government leaders, including the Deputy Prime Minister, without having to produce any proof to substantiate the serious allegations against Malaysia's national honour and international reputation.”

“It is one week too late for the Foreign Minister to talk about getting proof from the United States to substantiate Shaykh Kabbani's allegations as, for the past week, UMNO Cabinet Ministers had been speaking and acting on the basis that the allegations were true.”

“The proof the UMNO Ministers should demand should not be from ‘certain quarters’ in the US, but from Shaykh Kabbani himself and, if he cannot furnish any proof, an example must be made of him.”