Hadi Awang warns Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties against using
racial politics to win support among voters. — Picture by Choo Choy May
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang today issued a stern warning to Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties against using racial politics to win support among voters.
The PAS president claimed that BN had been ramping up its efforts in using “racist” and “narrow-minded” politics as a desperate attempt to try and woo over the different races in the country.
“The narrow-minded politics and racist sentiments have now become weapons and a means in which BN leaders are desperately trying to win back support, as though voters would be so easily swayed in today’s information world,” Abdul Hadi said in a statement posted today on his blog.
Abdul Hadi took a swipe at the MCA’s recent Chinese Economic Congress, claiming that the issues raised by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was a mere “manifestation” of the failure of BN in understanding the needs of the different races in the country.
“The issues raised by the MCA president in the form of resolutions from the economic congress held recently are nothing more than a mere manifestation of the failure of Barisan Nasional in understanding the needs and rights of the different races in the country,” said the PAS president.
The MCA’s Chinese Economic Congress held on August 14 had called for economic liberalisation and a merit-based and needs-based system to contribute to the path for Malaysia to be globally competitive.
The congress had called for an abolishment of the 30 percent Bumiputera equity target, which had resulted in a verbal war between Umno’s top leaders and MCA.
Abdul Hadi however dismissed MCA’s seemingly bolder stance, accusing the BN component party of being “elitist” and having failed to look after the poorer Chinese population.
“The situation becomes more complicated when MCA, which is an elitist party led by the rich has not been able to defend or look after the needs of the Chinese poor. This failure is also seen in MIC,” said Abdul Hadi.
The Marang MP also lashed out at Umno for discriminating against Malays in unfair economic distribution of wealth over the years.
Abdul Hadi said that only Malays who were aligned to Umno-BN benefited from the economic policies practiced by BN.
“The Malays in this country can no longer trust in Umno to look after their interests, as we have seen over the years how the country’s economic system has led to unfair economic distribution of wealth to Umno-putras.
“This injustice is not only felt by many races in our country, even within the Malays as there is discrimination towards Malays and Bumiputeras who are not politically-aligned with the Umno-BN government,” he said.
Abdul Hadi’s remarks calling for BN to stop playing up racial politics comes amid fresh allegations by Umno against the Penang Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government under DAP’s Lim Guan Eng.
Penang Umno chief Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zabidi had claimed that several mosques in the Tasek Gelugor, Permatang Pauh and Jelutong areas had replaced the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s name with Lim’s name during Friday sermons.
The Penang state government has vehemently denied Umno’s allegations.
PR have also slammed the Najib administration for its silence on reports of a Johor school principal uttering racially sensitive remarks During a school assembly speech last week.
The school principal had allegedly told the Chinese students to go back to China and said the Indians looked like dogs when they wore their prayer strings.
Yesterday, another school principal in Kedah was accused of telling her Chinese pupils to “return to China”.
“I plead with everyone in this country to stay calm and judge fairly the stirring up of racial hatred that is being propagated by Umno-BN on a daily basis.
“Let everyone stick together with PAS and PR in order to create a wave of change and get out of this sick cycle of politics being played by Umno-BN. Let us together put this country on the right path, in midst of challenging times to a better better, stable and just Malaysia,” added Abdul Hadi.
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