MCA: Dr M’s remarks not helping racial unity

(The Star) – Tun Dr Mahathir Moha-mad’s claim that the Chinese are the masters in the country will not help foster racial harmony, said the MCA.

MCA secretary-general Senator Datuk Wong Foon Meng expressed regret over the former prime minister’s comments, saying they would only increase confusion.

He said such comments on racial issues would affect the harmony and did not contribute to nation-building.

“We regret Dr Mahathir’s statement that appears to criticise our Prime Minister’s initiative to liberalise the economy,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“The liberalisation measures showed that Najib had the courage to carry out necessary reforms for the good of the country and its people.

“The reforms do not mean that the Government no longer helps bumiputras. They are using another method to achieve the same target, through the setting up of Ekuinas, which aims to consolidate bumiputra participation in the economy,” he added.

Gerakan also expressed disappointment over the comments, with its deputy youth chief Oh Tong Keong saying that Dr Mahathir’s latest blog presented a simplistic yet distorted understanding of Malaysian society.

He added that such statements could provoke sentiments among Malays that they were being exploited and oppressed, while the Chinese might feel that they were superior and smarter.

Oh said Dr Mahathir only made statements and presumptions, and did give any reasons for them.

He also questioned Dr Mahathir’s claims that whatever the Malays had now was being taken away from them.

“Who has taken what and how has not been explained,” Oh said.