Racial ties more strained after PH took over, says Tok Mat ahead of Rantau by-election

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 7 years ago · Published on 7 Apr 2019 10:12AM · 5 Comments

Barisan Nasional’s Rantau candidate Mohamad Hasan calls for unity after derogatory banners about his opponent appeared in the area. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 7, 2019

RACIAL ties appears to be more strained following the change in government, said Mohamad Hasan, Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate for the Rantau by-election.

Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat, said certain factions should stop playing up the race card and hurting sentiments of others because Malaysia is a multi-racial country.

“When conflict can brew in homogeneous societies such as Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Libya and Oman, what about a country like Malaysia that is racially, culturally and religiously diverse?

“Everyone has their limits when it comes to patience. I am afraid this might irk a certain ethnicity.

“Hopefully it won’t happen in Rantau. There are a lot of people with a short fuse here,” he said, referring to the banners bearing derogatory remarks against Pakatan Harapan’s Dr S. Streram.

Speaking at the Sri Lalang Public Housing last night, Mohamad said the Pakatan Harapan government has to act on such matters in order to prevent people from fanning racial sentiments that can eventually lead to conflict.

Mohamad, who is former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, denied that BN had a hand in putting up those banners in the area.

The banners appeared to have Minangkabau elements although the majority of the constituents are Bugis Malays.

He said Malaysians seem to have forgotten the fundamentals of unity that were put in place after the May 13 incident in 1969.

He added Malaysians have shown little regard to the Rukun Negara and the law these days.

“This is worrying as the social fabric of Malaysia is at stake. If this is not nipped in the bud, it could lead to episodes that will only leave us with regrets.”

Rantau comprises 55% Malays, 26% Indians and 18.5% Chinese.

The by-election is a four-cornered contest between Pakatan Harapan’s Dr S. Streram, BN’s Mohamad Hasan, and independents R. Malarvizhi and Mohd Nor Yassin. – April 7, 2019

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Comments

  • That is bcause it has been under increased and intense assault by certainn parties ever since they losed the elections.

    Posted 7 years ago by Mr Anderson · Reply

  • Those who think racial ties are strained are those who started it!

    Posted 7 years ago by Mat Kilau · Reply

  • The running thief is shouting "thief!"

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Tok Mat is fanning racial discord.. The police must monitor him closely

    Posted 7 years ago by Kampung Boy · Reply

  • It more the 60 years of racial Sentiments played by dumshit umno hey mat dont talk with your mouth full of your stinky shit u have been eating it all this time its because u want to be dumshit umno bn President a party that has lots of money n knowing u will never get another Chance.

    Posted 7 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply