KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid today called on the police to investigate Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for racial and religious incitement over his recent remarks on the unity government’s court withdrawal in appealing against a Sarawakian Bumiputera Christian’s contentious use of the word “Allah” for God.

The government backbencher from DAP said Muhyiddin’s remarks were a “dirty tactic” that aimed to create division even after Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain warned political parties to steer clear of touching on sensitive topics involving religion, royalty and race (3R) in the state elections.

“His intention is clear, to divide the people with fear mongering,” she told a press conference in George Town that was also livestreamed on the DAP’s Facebook page this afternoon.

Syerleena accused the former prime minister of hypocrisy in playing up the 3R issues to garner support from Malay-Muslims voters for August 12 six state elections.

She said Muhyiddin had expressly stated in a June 22 press conference that PN would steer clear of the 3R issue and focus on addressing “important” matters such as the high cost of living.

“It is very clear cut. We are now urging the police to commence a probe against Muhyiddin,” she added.

Syerleena’s DAP party mate and Jelutong MP RSN Rayer who was also present at the same news conference said Muhyiddin's latest remark is clearly meant to sway Malay-Muslim voters not to back the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) unity government and its candidates in the state elections.

“I want to urge them to not resort to dirty tactics such as using religion and race during their campaign.

“Our campaign has been clean and on what can be done by the respective state governments, we do not resort to dirty tactics such as PN,” he said.

Several news outlets reported Muhyiddin saying at a PN ceramah in Kapar, Selangor last night that he was under pressure from DAP not to appeal against a High Court ruling that allowed Sarawakian Melanau Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill to use the word Arabic word for God, “Allah” as part of her religious learning.

Muhyiddin was also reported claiming that PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had become prime minister only to stop the government from appealing the court decision so that non-Muslims could use the word.