The former premier notes that a similar situation transpired in 1969, and warns that a halt in Malay-Chinese cooperation can destabilise the nation. Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib Tun Razak, BN, DAP, MCA, May 13, 1Malaysia, Perkasa
PUTRAJAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad today backed the warning by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that the Chinese risk losing government representation if they keep voting for the opposition.
The former premier said Chinese voters cannot expect Barisan Nasional (BN) to pick elected leaders from DAP into the government.
“It’s just not logical,” he told reporters here, adding that this trend is a cause for alarm as a halt in Chinese-Malay cooperation will destabilise the nation.
Najib recently told the Chinese electorate to vote for MCA if they want representation in Putrajaya.
“I see MCA sending the message that the Chinese cannot support the opposition and at the same time expect strong representation in the government. They have to choose,” he said.
While the statement led some to accuse the BN chairman of political blackmail, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek defended Najib’s remarks, arguing that it was a fact.
Meanwhile, Mahathir said the same situation happened in 1969.
Then MCA president, the late Tun Tan Siew Sin, gave the same warning, saying that the Chinese must continue to vote for the party to maintain representation in the government.
“But in any case, MCA still won quite a lot of seats so there were candidates for MCA to be represented in the government,” he added.
The political tension between the Malays and the Chinese in that year led to the infamous bloody May 13 racial riots that left hundreds dead.
Observers said such statements will send mixed signals and alienate Chinese voters further, rendering Najib’s 1Malaysia concept hollow.
Claims of discriminative policies have made the Chinese voters, the country’s second largest electorate, to turn to the opposition.
This is exacerbated by the emergence of ultra-Malay groups like Perkasa comprising Umno sympathisers who are calling for race-based affirmative action policies to be sustained.
International bodies like the World Bank believe racial polarisation has become one of the major stumbling blocks to Malaysia’s potential and economic growth.
PUTRAJAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad today backed the warning by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that the Chinese risk losing government representation if they keep voting for the opposition.The former premier said Chinese voters cannot expect Barisan Nasional (BN) to pick elected leaders from DAP into the government.
“It’s just not logical,” he told reporters here, adding that this trend is a cause for alarm as a halt in Chinese-Malay cooperation will destabilise the nation.
Najib recently told the Chinese electorate to vote for MCA if they want representation in Putrajaya.
“I see MCA sending the message that the Chinese cannot support the opposition and at the same time expect strong representation in the government. They have to choose,” he said.
While the statement led some to accuse the BN chairman of political blackmail, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek defended Najib’s remarks, arguing that it was a fact.
Meanwhile, Mahathir said the same situation happened in 1969.
Then MCA president, the late Tun Tan Siew Sin, gave the same warning, saying that the Chinese must continue to vote for the party to maintain representation in the government.
“But in any case, MCA still won quite a lot of seats so there were candidates for MCA to be represented in the government,” he added.
The political tension between the Malays and the Chinese in that year led to the infamous bloody May 13 racial riots that left hundreds dead.
Observers said such statements will send mixed signals and alienate Chinese voters further, rendering Najib’s 1Malaysia concept hollow.
Claims of discriminative policies have made the Chinese voters, the country’s second largest electorate, to turn to the opposition.
This is exacerbated by the emergence of ultra-Malay groups like Perkasa comprising Umno sympathisers who are calling for race-based affirmative action policies to be sustained.
International bodies like the World Bank believe racial polarisation has become one of the major stumbling blocks to Malaysia’s potential and economic growth.
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