Cabinet gag on non-Malay numbers in military, says Koh

Koh chose not to venture into the controversy over a recent Utusan Malaysia editorial. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — The Cabinet has gagged all ministers from openly arguing about the patriotism of non-Malays pertaining to their low numbers in the armed forces but will work to make the services more attractive, Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said today. The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the Cabinet would leave it to the defence ministry to work out measures to increase the number of non-Malays in military.

“We have taken a stand as the Cabinet and the PM had advised us that no more, all the rhetoric and arguments in the open. Do work to show that we’re sincere in wanting the armed forces to be better represented,” he told reporters here today.

Koh added that there was a common misconception that the armed forces were only open to Malays.

“That is not true. Other than the Royal Malay Regiment, the other services and the other units are open [to all races].

“This is the duty and responsibility of the Ministry of Defence ... to make sure that our armed forces become even more integrated,” he added.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said in Parliament that only 903 non-Malays in the Malaysian Armed Forces had joined the service within the last two years and attributed the low presence to the group’s “low spirit of patriotism”.

Today, the minister in charge of unity also opted not to take a stand over a controversial editorial published by Utusan Malaysia, which had called the May 13, 1969 race riots a “blessing in disguise”.

He emphasised that the May 13 riots had different interpretations for the Malaysian people but said that while he was unsure of the Malay daily’s motive, he suspected that the author could have gotten the idea from Singapore.

In 1964, the island republic experienced its most notorious race riots on the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday on July 21 of that year, in which 23 people were killed and hundreds injured.

Thirty-three years later, the republic declared July 21 as Racial Harmony Day to commemorate the deadly riots.

The date also represents a day for schools to reflect on and celebrate Singapore’s “success as a racially harmonious nation and society built on a rich diversity of culture and heritage”.

Koh was quick to add, however, that he thought it unlikely that Malaysia would adopt a similar approach with the May 13 incident.

“There are different interpretations on the May 13 riot, that’s why we shouldn’t make any decisions at the moment.

“Whether it is wise or not, I think I will leave it to the people to decide,” he said, choosing not to wade into the issue.

On November 10, an editorial in Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia had described the May 13 racial riots as a sacred day for Malaysia and warned DAP to recognise its significance.

The newspaper’s deputy editor-in-chief, Zaini Hassan, said in his weekly column that the riots were a blessing in disguise, without which “wealthy businesses and the professional classes would be controlled by one race only.”

He also credited the riots with overseas scholarships for Bumiputeras.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has lashed out at the editorial, calling it “seditious” and warning that it could set off another wave of racial riots in the country. Several PR lawmakers are also considering lodging police reports against the Umno-owned daily. - Malaysian Insider