Dr M’s DAP outburst foments racial tension, says Zairil
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — DAP strategist Zairil Khir Johari has rebuked Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for saying DAP has infected Sarawak Chinese with racism, saying today the former prime minister’s comments are the main cause of racial tension here.
The son of the late Umno stalwart Tan Sri Mohd Khir Johari said the former prime minster should be more mature rather than make accusations that could divide the country.
“As a former prime minister and a respected statesman, he should be more mature and not incite accusations that break and divide the people,” he said in a press statement.
Mohd Khir was in the first Merdeka Cabinet with prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman in addition to being an MP from 1955 to 1982 and serving as a cabinet minister with three different prime ministers.
Dr Mahathir wrote in his blog yesterday that the Chinese community in Sarawak has rejected multiracialism after being infected by the virus of Chinese racism that he said is the guiding principle of the DAP.
The former prime minister also suggested that any DAP administration would only be ostensibly Malaysian.
Zairil, however, denied DAP was engaged in racist campaigning during the state election but instead pointed to tactics used by Barisan Nasional (BN) parties.
He pointed out that DAP’s campaigning emphasised corruption, transparency, accountability, failed economic policies, inflation, abuse of power and the government’s failure to resolve the said problems.
“Perhaps in the opinion of Tun Dr Mahathir only the Chinese community cares about such issues? Is that not an insult to the people of Sarawak and Malaysians in general?
“Instead, those who have tried to frighten voters with racial issues are BN parties like SUPP, PBB and MCA,” he said.
Zairil became the first Malay to be appointed political secretary to the party’s secretary-general in the history of DAP, which was founded in 1966. He was appointed by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in February this year.
Zairil stressed the election result shows that the Sarawak people are ready to reject BN’s brand of politics.
“The people of Sarawak have rejected completely elements of racial politics and instead want representatives that uphold justice and truth.
“The increased votes obtained by the DAP are not only from one race. In areas such Meradong, Dudong and Kirudong, our success in getting additional votes from the Dayak community is very encouraging. In Batu Kawah, our victory would not have happened without the votes of the Malay/ Melanau community,” he said.
