THE use of racial rhetoric by Umno and PAS does nothing for Malaysia’s advancement, said P. Waytha Moorthy.

“The grassroots are united, and they understand the nation’s issues. Politicians are the ones causing complications and uneasy feelings,” the minister in charge of national unity told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

On opposition leader Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s comments that PAS and Umno are waging a “jihad” to overthrow an anti-Malay and anti-Islam government, Waytha Moorthy said the remarks are “unhelpful”.

“There are lots of things to do for the country, and this doesn’t help us.

“It’s more important to improve the economy and unite the people, rather than call each other names.”

At a joint event with PAS in Sabak Bernam yesterday, Ismail Sabri, who is also Umno vice-president, termed the partnership between the parties as a “jihad” against non-Muslims.

In Parliament today, he said the Pakatan Harapan government is anti-Islam for having “allowed” an LGBT, or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, parade in Kuala Lumpur last month. – April 1, 2019.