'Move on Kit Siang, no need for May 13 inquiry'

There is no need for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the bloody May 13 clash as Malaysians needs to move on, said Umno leaders on Tuesday.

Umno Youth vice-chief Datuk Razali Ibrahim said that it was better for Malaysians to “to look forward to build a better Malaysia from strength to strength”.

Razali, who is Muar MP, said that history should only be “the reminder of what we have gone through to get this far”.

Meanwhile Umno legal advisor Datuk Hafarizam Harun said that the idea of having an RCI is a regressive move to moot such an idea.

"What's done can't be undone. Let bygones by bygones," said Hafarizam in a text message.

The two Umno leaders were commenting on DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang’s call for the Cabinet to consider establishing a RCI on racial riots of May 13, 1969.

Lim said that this was the only way younger Malaysians will finally get to know how and why this black mark in Malaysia's history took place.

He stressed that this was not to punish culprits but to allow the country to heal its worst racial wounds. In his first Parliament speech 42 years ago, in 1971, Lim had also called for an RCI.

This talk of revisiting the May 13 was sparked by the controversial movie Tanda Putera, which is expected to be screen Aug 29, two days before Merdeka.

The movie, directed by Datin Paduka Suhaimi Baba, had come under fire for ‘inaccurate’ and ‘racist’ depictions of history. However, Suhaimi has defended her film, saying that the fictional film was not a historical account but was still based on true stories.

Earlier today, MCA youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong said that it was irresponsible for a film to “imply guilt on a particular race”.

Wee said that by creating certain disputed scenes, the director could harm the prime minister’s move towards national reconciliation.