Nazri Aziz backs Dr M, says in-fighting turning Malays into beggars
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, Malay Mail Online
Senior Umno leader Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said today he concurred with retired Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s view that division within the Malays have made political beggars of the country’s largest ethnic group.
The tourism and culture minister said Dr Mahathir’s statement was meant to “wake” up the Malay, adding that the race would remain at the mercy of minorities should they continue to bicker among themselves.
“Isn’t it begging if you are divided into three? What is happening now is back then the Malays were united and didn’t have to worry about the Chinese votes but when they are divided they have to squabble to get support.
“If one area is 70 per cent Malay and 30 per cent non-Malays, say if Malays get 23 per cent each, you can’t win with only 20 per cent so the 30 per cent is the deciding factor… that was what Mahathir said so what’s wrong with that,” Nazri told reporters here.
The former de facto law minister, a vocal critic of Dr Mahathir despite both being in the same party, said the former prime minister had only made the controversial statement to unite the Malays against “other racists.”
“Don’t be upset with him. He made us realise, to wake up the Malays. We can’t win if we are divided and not united to slam other racists.”
