By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today
GEORGE TOWN: Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh wants an end to the special privileges for Malays and natives from Sabah and Sarawak.
He demands the federal government to stipulate a time frame to abolish the special privileges in line with its “1Malaysia” concept.
The veteran politician said Prime Minister Naib Tun Razak’s administration must expressly spell out the definition of the 1Malaysia concept.
He opined that the IMalaysia concept meant that there shall be no discrimination against any citizens.
The special privileges, he said, contradicted this concept since it had given an advantage to certain segments of society while handicapping others.
He said Najib’s 1Malaysia government had failed until today to clarify the expression and definition of his much-lauded concept.
He added that Najib has to state publicly whether his 1Malaysia government will perpetuate the special privileges, which are against citizenry equal rights.
“Special privileges put one 20 metres ahead than others in a 100-metre run.
“However, the IMalaysia concept meant equality to all. A beginning must have an end.
“Najib must stipulate a time frame to end it,” said Karpal, the DAP national chairman, at a press conference in his constituency today.
When the federal constitution was formulated, he said that its architects inserted the clause for special privileges for Malays and natives in Sabah and Sarawak because they intended the policy to last only for some 15 years.
However, Karpal said that the policy was being prolonged indefinitely.
He said the special privileges were originally intended to assist certain underprivileged and backward segments of society to compete with others on an equal footing.
He said the special privileges did not give special status to a particular community.
He added that the special privileges also indicated that a particular community was inferior to others at the viewpoint of meritocracy.
Karpal also rebuked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s “Malay first” stance, describing it as sowing the seeds of destruction of Najib’s 1Malaysia concept.
He said Muhyiddin's stance would open up a can of worms as it would influence the natives to address themselves by ethnic backgrounds rather than nationality.
“It will divide the country along ethnic lines rather than unite the people under a single Malaysian identity,” he said.
He also chided Minister in Prime Minister Department Nazri Abdul Aziz for attempting to justify Muhyiddin’s stand, saying it was “an unsuccessful damage control exercise”.
“Nazri tried miserably to give a misconception on Muhyiddin’s statement by citing the Malay special privileges,” said Karpal.
He rapped Najib for failing to live up to his “CIA” slogan of credibility, integrity and accountability after a year as the country’s sixth prime minister.
By now, he said Najib should have probed into how the C4 explosives used to blow up Mongolian beauty Altantuya Sharribuu was “smuggled” out of the defence ministry.
“After all, Najib was the defence minister then.”
He also raised doubts on the credibility and integrity of newly elected MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, who was once embroiled in a lewd video footage.
He asked whether Najib would give him a Cabinet appointment or act on Chua’s advice to appoint other ministers from MCA.
“Does Chua has the quality, credibility and integrity to qualify for such appointment or give advice?” asked Karpal.
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