(Sept 15): DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said having his effigy burned is nothing new to him and if certain quarters "enjoyed" doing it, they can carry on doing it.

"You want to burn, then burn on, as long as you don't burn down the country.

"If it is fun burning my picture, then do it. But don't burn down the country also," the Penang chief minister told reporters at his Komtar office today.

He was commenting on reports and a video showing Umno members, led by Kota Baru division head Datuk Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh, burning his effigy and another of his father DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang. Both effigies were clad in Bersih 4 shirts.

Fatmi, who is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's former political secretary, was seen giving a fiery speech urging party members to participate in the September 16 gathering to “uphold the dignity of Malays” in the video.

"The people of Kota Baru must fight, fight for our religion, race and country."

He also criticised the two DAP leaders and organisers of Bersih 4, who he added were out to break up the Malay race.

"Burning their effigies is a symbol of our protest, we are against everything about Bersih which are just lies. Do you agree?

"They are evil, and want to break up the Malay race and this country," Fatmi said in the video of the programme, which was reportedly held in Kota Baru on Sunday.

Lim said the only thing bothering him was the use of religion for provocation, as the people in the video also conducted mock Buddhist funeral rites for him and Kit Siang.

"Don't use religion. Don't insult religion. How can Muslims do such things? I know that true Muslims would not do this because Islam forbids insulting other faiths.

"This is dangerous and I ask everyone to remain calm. Malaysians should stand united to defeat racists and extremists, and not to let them try to cover up issues and scandals with such methods.

"When we talk about fighting corruption and clean government, they do this to divert attention and frighten the people. Barisan Nasional and Umno are bankrupt of ideas," he said.

Lim expressed sceptism the latest incident would be treated differently from similar incidents in the past, when his effigy and pictures were burned, despite Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar saying it would be investigated.

"Action was not taken previously. How will this incident be any different, especially when the person involved is a former aide of the prime minister?"

Lim again took BN component party leaders to task for not criticising the police, the home minister and the prime minister over the planned "red shirt" rally by a Malay rights group tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Penang deputy chief minister I, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, said as a Muslim, he felt sad about the effigy burning, adding that it was something that should not have happened in a multiracial society.

"I condemn it myself. It was clearly a provocation. It seemed they wanted revenge over Bersih 4 but what they had done was off the mark," he said. – The Malaysian Insider