Don’t blame people for not celebrating Merdeka this year

PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar said the Barisan Nasional government should not be surprised if Malaysians opt to skip the coming Merdeka celebrations, thanks to the decision to adapt a political slogan as this year's theme.

“That theme is tailored for BN’s election campaign, not a patriotic theme that can be shared by all,” he said.

The theme for national day is 'Janji DiTepati' (Promises Fulfilled), which is the slogan for the government's Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia as well as for tours and gatherings by top UMNO leaders.

“So don’t blame the people if they are not celebrating it this year,” Mahfuz added.

Information, Communication and Culture minister Rais Yatim defended the choice of the theme, saying there was nothing using BN’s election slogan.

“If the opposition feels that this is an election campaign slogan, I think there is nothing wrong with that.

“Just as the opposition can say ‘we have done this, we have done that, and this is our promise’, this is also nothing wrong,” Rais was quoted by news portal Malaysiakini.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang earlier described the move as BN's attempt to hijack the Merdeka celebration.

Mahfuz meanwhile called on Pakatan Rakyat states to boycott the theme, and suggested an alternative.

“We can use a theme like ‘For You, Malaysia’ to appeal to people to save Malaysia from corruption, power abuse, cronyism and other menaces,” he said.

-Harakahdaily