Umno is most guilty of playing the racial card to cling to power
Muhyiddin’s claim that BN unites the various races in Malaysia never sounded so hollow when Umno is most guilty of playing the racial card to cling to power
Lim Kit Siang
In the Bagan Pinang by-election, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claims that the government would not allow any quarters to disrupt racial unity in the country and would promptly act against those who played up sensitive racial issues.
He said since the Barisan Nasional (BN) governed the country, it had managed to unite the various races which had different cultures, customs and religions.
Muhyddin’s claim that BN unites the various races in Malaysia has never sounded so hollow when Umno is most guilty of playing the racial card to cling to power.
It is now Pakatan Rakyat which has a more legitimate claim to represent the diverse races, cultures and religions in the country than Barisan Nasional as demonstrated by the results of the March 8 general elections last year and subsequent developments.
Even in the Bagan Pinang by-election, it is Umno which had been most irresponsible and divisive in its election tactics, starting from Nomination Day last Saturday with the vicious and racist mudslinging through two anonymous publications to incite communal hatred and animosities – “Wajah Sebenar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim: Nasib Orang Melayu Selangor” and “50 Kemusykilan Tentang Manusia Bernama Anwar Ibrahim” – to attack Khalid and Anwar as traitors of the Malay race.
Up to now, no Umno leader had denounced or apologised for these two racist tracts which bear all the marks of Umno sponsorship.
