Interlok: ‘Why are Umno and Ministers silent?’

Barisan Nasional leaders are not concerned with addressing the Interlok issue, says an NGO says.

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional politicians are keeping the controversial Interlok novel issue at an arms’ length, according to National Interlok Action Team (NIAT).

“We know that a lot of (people) within Umno and many ministers aren’t happy (with Interlok).”

“(But) BN hasn’t come out with anything. Why are MCA leaders keeping quiet? Why are MIC leaders keeping quiet?” asked Niat chairman Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Haj.

Expressing dismay to newsmen today, he said neither he nor NIAT were pro-opposition as insinuated by BN leaders.

He said the group was willing to speak to parties from both sides of the political divide on the matter.

“For goodness sake, if I am a supporter of Opposition, why am I supporting 1Malaysia?” he asked.

Thasleem is particularly disappointed with the BN Back-Bencher’s Club (BNBBC) in parliament, which appeared to postpone meetings to unusable dates.

‘Islamic values sidestepped’

A letter by BNBBC secretary Ismail Haji Abdul Muttalib to Thalseem revealed that an initial March 30 meeting this year had been postponed to April 6, which was the Sarawak election nomination date.

In his letter to Thasleem, Ismail wrote that the meeting had to be postponed to an unmentioned future date, as many BN MPs had left for East Malaysia at the time.

Thasleem, in his revert to Ismail, expressed his unhappiness with the ambiguity of the later’s letter.

“You yourself said that many Peninsular MPs would be present (at the meeting). As a Muslim, I feel sad that Islamic values have been sidestepped to gain political advantage,” Thasleem wrote.

NIAT later revealed that a request to meet with Umno Youth over the issue had been turned down as it was “Interlok-related”.

Taking a swipe at Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin, Thasleem said : “He’s an Oxford graduate… but has no guts to raise this issue.”

Thasleem also questioned why only the Deputy Prime Minister-cum Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had an opinion on the matter.