He further rubbished Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s claims that 1 Malaysia was becoming increasingly popular, citing the latter’s own resistance to the idea.
“Muhyiddin’s statement is downright ridiculous as he himself has declared that he does not fully endorse the 1 Malaysia concept,” Lim said in a press statement.
He pointed out that Muhyiddin had, on occasion, spoken in a manner “totally inimical” to the objectives of 1 Malaysia, which the Ipoh Timur MP defined as the creation of a nation where every Malaysian perceives themselves as Malaysian first, followed by race, religion, geography and socio-economic status.
“When I challenged all ministers in Parliament in March this year to declare that they are Malaysians first... Muhyiddin had responded that he was Malay first and Malaysian second,” Lim said.
He said Muhyiddin’s defence of “racist brainwashing” by the National Civics Bureau (BTN), Datuk Nasir Safar’s remarks on the Chinese and Indians, and his silence at a government forum where Christians were threatened with a repeat of May 13 for wanting to use the word “Allah”, was further evidence that the Umno number two rejected 1 Malaysia.
Lim went on to highlight Muhyiddin’s “hamfisted attempts” at helping Umno-controlled media like Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian paint Penang and its DAP chief minister as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, his sidelining of non-Malay contributions in drafting the Federal Constitution, and threat to revoke the citizenship of those who questioned the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) subjects cap.
“Since March, there has been even more instances of reckless rhetoric of racist extremism and religious bigotry which attack the very basis of the 1 Malaysia slogan,” he added.
“The 1 Malaysia slogan is in fact the best example of the wide and increasing gulf between words and deeds of the Najib administration... whether 1 Malaysia, Government Transformation Programme, New Economic Model or Economic Transformation Programme.”
English daily The Star yesterday reported state housing and local government committee chief, Ronnie Liu, remarking that 1 Malaysia billboards were a political message from the BN federal government and were not allowed under local by-laws.
“You don’t see any billboard in Selangor carrying the PKR, PAS or DAP logo.
“Local government by-laws in Selangor clearly state that political symbols cannot be used on billboard advertisements,” Liu was quoted saying.
The Selangor executive councillor stressed the law was not new, dismissing suggestions it was a PR tactic against its political foe. - Malaysian Insider
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