Of Hitler, KKK and Ahmad Maslan: Pakatan slams while Umno 'liberals' close an eye

More Pakatan Rakyat leaders have come out to flay Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan for his overtly racist comments, although self-proclaimed Umno 'liberals' Khairy Jamaluddin and Saifuddin Abdullah stubbornly closed an eye and steered clear of the issue.

"This is a good indication of how sincere they are. Both men have claimed to be multi-racial and anti-racism but I notice they only behave that way when it comes confrontation with political clowns like Ibrahim Ali. They can argue they have no choice but to stay quiet because the Umno AGM is on now but that only shows they are fair-weather friends and multi-racial only when it suits them," PKR vice president Tian Chua toldMalaysia Chronicle.

Ahmad, a deputy minister and the Pontian MP, had shocked the nation with comments that called on Malays to vote for BN as a 'hung' Parliament would result in severe losses for the Malay community, with their rights and even their mother tongue sidelined. Ahmad also went so far as to lament the presence of Chinese elected representative in the Selangor executive council.

“We no longer hold power. Look at Selangor, who are the state excos? Ronnie Liu, Xavier, Elizabeth, Teresa Kok, this is the DAP agenda, Christianisation,” said Ahmad.

“If there is a hung parliament scenario like Australia, let’s say 112 government seats to 110 opposition seats, it is the worst thing that could happen. The Malay language will be lost, say goodbye to the Malay Sultans, the opposition DAP do not even respect the royal institution. They have never accepted royal titles even though they have been offered them."

Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan

In an immediate response, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng slammed Ahmad Maslan for his Hitler-like "seditious" remarks that could provoke racial tension.

Earlier another Pakatan leader, PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng had rapped Ahmad for his 'Ku Klux Klan' type of racist remarks, while Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said it showed Umno was “still stuck in its racist agenda” and “cultivating a culture of fear” with snap general elections widely expected to be called early next year.

“This is the same thing Hitler raised about the Jewish threat and internal enemies. This will lead to the persecution of innocent people with no regard for the sanctity of the rule of law,” Malaysian Insider reported Guan Eng as saying.

Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi, the PKR director for communications and Seri Setia assemblyman pointed out that Ahmad's claims were baseless and wild political rhetoric.

"On the contrary, it is Umno's complacency and failure that has allowed longstanding Malay problems to continue and fester," Nik Nazmi told Malaysia Chronicle.

Fishing for the Malay votes

Another Malay MP, PAS' Dzulkefly Ahmad also ticked off Ahmad for playing the racist card to fish for votes from the rural and less-educated Malays.

“This is the worst kind of forked tongue speak. How do they say the same to MCA, MIC and Gerakan? Closer to the finishing line, they are banking on Malay votes, having given up on the Chinese and Indian voters, and are falling back on and targeting the rural Malays, those in traditional kampung who don’t have access to new media,” said Dzulkefly.

However, there was deafening silence from Najib himself, Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

Both Khairy and Saifuddin only shook their heads in response to Ahmad’s statement, but kept mum. Such a response was most inadequate and inappropriate, PKR's Tian said.

"This is a political situation where if you keep your head down and your mouth shut, it will be taken to mean that your silence is consent or you are in total agreement with Ahmad Maslan," said Tian.

Malaysia Chronicle