THE Malay Dignity Congress is not racist and it is the right of the Malays to hold the gathering, said Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad, backtracking on his earlier comments that such events could cause racial strife.
Taking to Twitter this morning, Khalid said: “I AGREE with Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) that when a certain race has an assembly to discuss its issues and the country’s issues, it is NOT racist, but it is their right”.
He said he did not disagree with Dr Mahathir and that his earlier comments were twisted by the media.
Yesterday, Khalid had said on Twitter that gatherings such as the Malay Dignity Congress would create racial hatred and strife if the content was racially charged.
“The gathering was not the problem, but the content was,” tweeted Khalid, who is also Amanah communications director.
“All the races, even clans, have gatherings among themselves to discuss their problems, and how to improve their position and that of the nation.
“But when it works to create racial hatred and strife, then, it becomes racist.”
In the post, Khalid tagged a news report on Dr Mahathir, in which the prime minister said it hurt him to hear the congress was accused of racism.
Dr Mahathir, in a blog post, said other ethnic groups, too, can hold gatherings to discuss their own affairs.
He reiterated that he attended the congress in Shah Alam on October 6 because “I am Malay”.
“It hurts me to think that in their own country, the indigenous people are not supposed to have their own gatherings without being accused of being racist.”
The congress was attended by thousands, including leaders and representatives of Malay parties and civil groups, as well as academics.
The event drew brickbats for advocating a Malay supremacist worldview – Malaysia belongs only to Malays, and other communities remain “foreigners” despite having lived here for generations.
Some speakers called for top posts in the government to be held only by Malays, and the abolition of vernacular schools.
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who was not invited to the congress, has slammed the organisers for stirring up racial sentiments so as to cover up corruption and inequality in the Malay community.
Yesterday, police questioned academician Zainal Kling, the chief executive of the congress’ secretariat, over his speech at the event.
In his fiery opening remarks, he mentioned, among others, the special privileges accorded to the community and kicked up a racial storm when he warned Malaysia’s minority communities, particularly ethnic Chinese and Indians, about their “social contract” with the Malays. – October 27, 2019.
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Posted 4 years ago by Vincent Lim · Reply
BUt fear not! All of these just continues to affirm, that PH cabinet members have become addicted to the good life that is Putrajaya!
My only puzzlement is that - Amanah, DAP - their politicians only needed 18 months to master what it tool BN politicians at least 30 years.
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