What racial tension, Umno asks Kit Siang
Umno reminded Lim that DAP was now singing praises of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a former patron of Malay right-wing group Perkasa and a politician the party once labelled an ultra-Malay.
(FMT) – Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin today questioned the DAP’s claim of heightened racial tension in the country, saying the reality on the ground painted a different picture.
Khaled said the situation on the ground was harmonious where “Malays were not oppressing the Chinese, and the Chinese were not oppressing the Malays or Indians”.
He said the rakyat in general never viewed race as an issue in a multiracial country like Malaysia.
“Malays still patronise Chinese shops, employ Chinese contractors and deal with banks run by the Chinese, while the Chinese continue to eat at nasi lemak stalls operated by Malays, eat roti canai in Indian shops, and take a Grab car driven by Malays,” he said in a statement.
Khaled was responding to a claim by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang that “political opportunists and desperados had fanned racial and religious insecurities in each community into a powder-keg of distrust, fear and hatred of other communities”.
The former minister said it was only the DAP, including the likes of Lim, who kept raising such a spectre “all because Malays were not supporting Pakatan Harapan”.
He reminded Lim that DAP was now singing praises of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a former patron of Malay right-wing group Perkasa and a politician the party once labelled an ultra-Malay.
He also challenged Lim to name the political opportunists who were fanning such insecurities.
To Lim’s question if he should forget about the New Malaysia and “call it quits”, Khaled said nothing has changed since PH took over the country’s administration.
He cited the “drama” over Anwar Ibrahim’s taking over from Mahathir, the re-branding of initiatives implemented by the previous Barisan Nasional government, and PH’s failure to fulfil its manifesto.
“This shows that a New Malaysia is nothing but a political gimmick that cannot be upheld,” he said.
