Nazri says no quarter for racial extremists, but what about Umno

Malaysia Chronicle

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz has sounded his multiracial trumpet once again, but the immediate response he drew was that his advice would be better directed to his boss Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Umno party.

Nazri, also a senior Umno member, has gone on record saying he was Malaysian first and Malay next. Yet at the Umno annual assembly held last month, scores of Umno leaders including Titiwangsa chief Johari Ghani declared that their party did not need Chinese or Indian voters.

Before MCA president Chua Soi Lek rushes out to explain that Johari is only a "junior Umno leader", it was none other than Umno president and Soi Lek's own boss, Prime Minister Najib Razak, who warned of "crushed bodies", "lost lives" and "ethnic cleansing" if the position of Malays was questioned and if Umno lost control of the federal government.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has called on Najib to explain in Parliament this controversial and highly racist speech.

But will Nazri do the same? And why should he not if he were really serious about giving "no quarter" to racial extremists? Why shouldn't "no quarter" include his own boss and party? If Nazri does not do so, what is the point of giving false hope with such strong words?

Or is Nazri trying to build his own popularity with the non-Malays. If he is, surely he is wasting his time. He really would need to do more. Thanks to his boss, Malaysians have become experts at spotting hypocrisy, double-speak and insincerity.

Better that Nazri and those other Umno members who think like him work on a reform movement within their party to get rid of the racism entrenched in it. Rather than feed their countrymen false hope with pretty words!

Malaysia Chronicle appends below the Bernama report carrying Nazri's speech at a 1Malaysia event

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians should not give racial extremists any quarter, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.


He said they were bent on sowing the seeds of discord among the people and were not welcome as no Malaysian wanted a repeat of the May 13 tragedy of 1969.


"It's been over 40 years now since the tragedy and the people are living in harmony because they understand no one benefits if racial issues are blown up," he said at a 1Malaysia charity dinner that was attended by over 4,000 people from all races, here Monday night.


He added the way to go was mutual respect for each other and live out the 1Malaysia concept as espoused by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.


He added that 50 years of independence was more than enough for the races to understand each other and when they sang the national anthem together, it should not just be singing the lyrics but understand the deep meaning they contained.


Also present were Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong and Kepong Member of Parliament, Dr Tan Seng Giaw.
- BERNAMA