Beware of Umno hawks, says DAP
“The increased political temperature centred around racial talk is similar to the atmosphere during 1987’s Operasi Lalang.”
(Free Malaysia Today) – Umno is attempting to create distrust between the Malays and the non-Malays in order to divert attention from its internal strife, DAP has alleged.
In a press statement referring to the recent crackdown on opposition figures and to Monday’s controversial speech by Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, DAP’s Political Education Director Liew Chin Tong said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Zahid were “dancing to the tune” of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and “the hawks” within Umno.
He drew a parallel between Mahathir’s recent withdrawal of support for Najib and Umno’s “most divisive party election” in April 1987, pointing out that the infamous Operasi Lalang was launched about six months later.
He noted that Mahathir’s widely reported criticism of Najib came “on the eve of the season of Umno divisional general meetings, which will be followed by the National Annual General Assembly.”
He claimed that Mahathir’s attack had inflicted “huge damage on Najib in the eyes of the Umno faithful”.
“The increased political temperature centred around racial talk and the recent persecution spree of opposition leaders, civil society leaders and academics, and even the Volunteer Patrol Unit in Penang is similar to the atmosphere during Operasi Lalang in 1987,” he said.
Liew’s statement appeared to be a caution to Malaysians against being taken in by Umno’s alleged agenda to divide and rule.
He said: “We must be clear:
