Guan Eng spat: Umno on Chinese-bashing, Malay-splitting binge

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

A storm that began in Penang after a state official publicly called Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng 'biadap' or rude has swept across the country, riling up the Chinese who see it as the latest Umno move to humiliate their community for the sake of trying to appear as heroes to the Malays.

Not only did the official, Nik Ali Mat Yunus, rush to defend himself at an Umno-organized press conference, the Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan has also stood by him and further attacked Guan Eng.

“This is clearly unacceptable. Umno is playing the racial card and it is dangerous. Pakatan Rakyat and PAS look at the issue from a professional basis that an officer is subject to the state administrators of the day and their policies,” Penang PAS deputy commissioner Mujahid Yusof Rawa told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Nik Ali cannot go against his superiors in the state hierarchy as that will jeopardize the entire system of the Penang administration, not just the Pakatan coalition if that is his and Umno's target. We advise all civil servants not to be exploited by Umno, BN and those with vested interests. If Nik Ali is interested in politics, then he should resign and be a politician.”

Chinese bashing, Malay disunity increases

Indeed, racial tensions never far from the surface in multi-ethnic Malaysia despite five decades of nation-building, have risen of late.

In particular, the Chinese are upset by ultra-Malay rhetoric from Umno-backed groups like Perkasa and pin the blame squarely on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s weak leadership. Few in community to look to the MCA as a sanctuary and shield, instead believing the party would sell them out to Umno even faster.

In the past week, not only has Umno been targeting the Chinese through Guan Eng, who is regarded as a hero to many young professionals, the Malay nationalist party is also busy attacking the Islamist-based PAS.

Under the guise of ‘unity’ talks, the Umno-controlled mainstream press has gone on an all-out blitz to malign PAS leaders. Their attempts to misreport were so blatant that even Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin slammed them for making the party appear “so desperate”.

“This is the irony of it all. Umno says they want to unite the Malays but they are actually dividing their own community even further. What is their real purpose – to discredit PAS and pull more Malays over to their side. But this will only create more ill-feeling amongst the Malays towards each other,” PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

“But Umno doesn’t care, they are only interested in votes for the purpose of staying power at all costs. They don’t mind splitting the Malays into PAS camp and Umno camp as long as more switch over to Umno camp because Umno will save them from the Chinese. As for the Chinese, Umno knows it has already lost their trust. So it will continue to bully, humiliate and insult the symbols of the community.”

Cabinet decision

At Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, BN ministers were unhappy with Guan Eng for criticizing Nik Ali, according to Mohd Sidek, who is also the Cabinet Secretary.

He urged the Penang Chief Minister to follow “correct procedure” by channeling complaints on issues to relevant departments or agencies.

Guan Eng had slammed Nik Ali for trying to stir up accusations of illegal sand mining in Balik Pulau, the demolition of arches at the Penang Botanical Garden and for discourtesy by intentionally refusing to provide a seat for him as the Penang Chief Minister during the recent launch of the Penang Hill Railway.

“These three issues, for which Nik Ali was blamed by the Penang Chief Minister, were not under the jurisdiction of the officer as the State Development Officer,” Mohd Sidek said in a brief statement issued after the Cabinet meeting.