Dr Mahathir took a swipe at Umno. — Reuters pic
He stressed that the party must return to its roots and help unite a divided Malay community.
“We can unite the Malays if we are willing to work hard and explain that Umno’s struggle is for religion, race and country,” he told the audience during a talk on “Malay race and the future” at the Tun Hussein Onn Memorial here.
The former prime minister also urged the Malays to question their leaders and voice out if leaders in Umno were found to be corrupt.
He said the Umno will not change if the members do not do their part in ensuring the party was clean of corruption, saying graft will destroy the community and hinder the country from progressing.
He added that the concept of Malay supremacy was meaningless if the community continues to be easily bought.
“Hang Tuah said that Malays will never vanish from the face of the earth but what type of Malays that will never disappear? Drivers? Drain cleaners? Coolies? They are also Malays.
“If this is the type of Malays we want then it is okay. We will just tell Hang Tuah sorry,” Dr Mahathir said.
He also blamed PKR de factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for the current state of the community.
He said both leaders were willing to use religion and politics for personal interest instead of the interest of the Malays.
“If he (Anwar) wants to go to Putrajaya then we can give him a car so he can go. Nik Aziz is an opportunist as he willing to do anything for power,” Dr Mahathir added.
He stressed that the Malays can only progress and determine their own future if they remain united.
He had attacked Nik Aziz’s brand of Islam as worse than that of Umno nationalists, and accused the PAS spiritual leader of “dividing” the Malays and Muslims in the country.
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