‘Opposition trying to screw up our system’
There is nothing wrong with race-based parties like Umno, MIC, and MCA as they work together to serve all races, say BN leaders.
Anisah Shukry, FMT
Barisan Nasional leaders have slammed DAP chairman Karpal Singh for calling race- and religious-based parties to be deregistered.
Umno Cheras division leader Syed Ali Alhabshee said Umno, MCA and MIC formed the Alliance more than 50 years ago and later through the Barisan Nasional had fought for all races.
“Without BN, we would be nowhere. But now, the opposition is trying to screw up the system that we have been building. They are trying to poison the minds of the people.
“Karpal is senile and has gone to the extreme,” he said.
Yesterday, Karpal had said race- and religious-based parties, including PAS, were impractical and dangerous.
The DAP leader had said such parties should either be deregistered or opened to everyone.
Syed Ali told FMT that even though Umno’s membership was solely Malay, it had always stood by BN’s concept of helping all races.
“With Umno in BN, you can see that we are helping all races. Otherwise we would not have many Indian and Chinese doctors as well as lawyers.
“So it’s okay to maintain parties based on race. We’ve been working this way for over 50 years and only now Karpal says it is not right,” he added.
PAS more dangerous
MCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Chua Tee Yong pointed out there was a difference between MCA, MIC and Umno and parties that were religion-based like PAS.
“Race-based parties cover a variety of issues. But parties based on religion champion only one thing – religion. So PAS is more dangerous than BN,” said Labis MP.
“Even though we are race-based, we are under the umbrella of BN, so we represent all races. But PAS, DAP, PKR stand separately.”
Throwing the ball back into Karpal’s court, Chua urged the Bukit Gelugor MP to call for a merger between the three opposition parties.
“There’s no point just talking about it. Why not get together and merge? Why not put a stop to PAS?” he asked.
Chua said at the end of the day, the political statement would lead to nowhere.
