Stop using racial rhetoric, PM tells opposition

MUAR: The Opposition should stop using racial rhetoric to scare people, especially the Malays, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said nobody could dispute the position of the Malay leadership, Islam as the religion of the federation, the sovereignty of the royal institution and Bahasa Melayu as the nation’s official language.

“Our friends in DAP, MCA, MIC as well as the non-Malays in PKR have never did and I do not want to be prime minister if these principles of the Federal Constitution were (challenged).

“So, do not scare the Malays with these issues. The Malays have long been used to promises and slogans.

“Three years of (government) leadership under Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and PAS and where was the change they promised the Malays?

“Did they strengthen the Malay language, uphold the status of Islam or reduce corruption and ‘sakau’ (robbery)?

“Nothing. What they have are only slogans,” said Anwar at the Simpang Jeram state seat Madani Unity mega ceramah in Taman Desa, Sungai Abong here on Sunday (Sept 3).

Anwar added that when the Unity Government decided to write off the Felda settlers’ bad debt amounting to RM8.3bil and allocation of RM3bil to upgrade infrastructure and enable five padi planting seasons every two years in Kedah, the majority of the beneficiaries were the Malays.

He said when the matters were discussed in the Cabinet meeting, none from DAP, Umno,Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah protested against it.

“There is was no need to insult other races.

“The Malays are the majority in the country and there is enough for all – our country is not poor.

“What I want to reiterate is, the Unity Government will take care of all rakyat from the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Dusun and Kadazan,” Anwar said before calling Pakatan Harapan’s Simpang Jeram candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman on stage and urged voters to vote for him as their assemblyman.

The Prime Minister then left the ceramah and made his way to another ceramah in Tampoi, Johor Baru located within the Pulai parliamentary constituency.

The Simpang Jeram state seat by-election is contested by Nazri, who is the Bakri Amanah division deputy chief Nazri, Perikatan Nasional’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya and Independent candidate S. Jeganathan.

Polling day is set for Sept 9.