Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin today dismissed Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's remark yesterday that the May 13 racial clash might repeat if Umno is weak, but warned that “chaos” is imminent under Pakatan Rakyat's rule.
“I did not mention that. Nobody mentioned about May 13. What we meant was that the situation would be chaotic (porak peranda) because those parties (under Pakatan) have huge clash in ideology...
“The people can imagine... how would they agree on the future direction of the nation in the coming five years, if they rule the nation?” he said when questioned during a press conference at Umno general assembly today.
The question was whether the ideological differences between component parties in Pakatan would lead to a repeat of the infamous racial riots in 1969.
The deputy prime minister pointed out that ideological clashes were evident in the states governed by the opposition coalition.
“Therefore the reminder by (Barisan Nasional) BN and BN leaders on this was not to intimidate, but clearly we cannot gamble and risk our future simply because we want to try. This is not the question of our future, but the future of our children,” he added.
“I did not mention that. Nobody mentioned about May 13. What we meant was that the situation would be chaotic (porak peranda) because those parties (under Pakatan) have huge clash in ideology...
“The people can imagine... how would they agree on the future direction of the nation in the coming five years, if they rule the nation?” he said when questioned during a press conference at Umno general assembly today.The question was whether the ideological differences between component parties in Pakatan would lead to a repeat of the infamous racial riots in 1969.
The deputy prime minister pointed out that ideological clashes were evident in the states governed by the opposition coalition.
“Therefore the reminder by (Barisan Nasional) BN and BN leaders on this was not to intimidate, but clearly we cannot gamble and risk our future simply because we want to try. This is not the question of our future, but the future of our children,” he added.
Yesterday, Shahrizat made the controversial remark during her opening speech for the Wanita Umno general assembly when she warned that the May 13 tragedy might repeat should Umno became weak and could not overcome its challenges.
Muhyiddin, who is known for his conservative right-wing inclination, also agreed that the country would be unstable should Umno loses its grip on Putrajaya.
“If you look at the profile of our nation, Malays and bumiputera control more than 60 percent. That's the reality.
“Imagine if they cannot have an appropriate place from a constitutional angle in the general election, how would the situation be? More so if other groups were to govern the nation,” he said.
He added that BN has given sufficient attention to Malays and bumiputera while being fair to other races.
Muhyiddin, who is known for his conservative right-wing inclination, also agreed that the country would be unstable should Umno loses its grip on Putrajaya.
“If you look at the profile of our nation, Malays and bumiputera control more than 60 percent. That's the reality.“Imagine if they cannot have an appropriate place from a constitutional angle in the general election, how would the situation be? More so if other groups were to govern the nation,” he said.
He added that BN has given sufficient attention to Malays and bumiputera while being fair to other races.
It is expected that Shahrizat's remark will anger non-Malay voters and subsequently, put BN component parties in a difficult situation.
Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon(left), when asked about it after attending the general assembly opening ceremony, chose to give a short reply.
“No, I don’t agree with that kind of statement. I don’t think it will be like that,” he said before leaving the venue in a rush.
MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek left the Putra World Trade Center without talking to reporters.
Other Umno leaders seemed to distance themselves from Shahrizat's remark.
Supreme council member Muhkriz Mahathir said Umno has successfully avoided the tragedy from repeating by implementing new policies after the incident.
“I think, whether we agree (with Shahrizat's remark) or not, we have to avoid that from happening,” said the deputy minister.
Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim said there should not be any fear that the racial riots would happen again because there are sufficient laws to enable the police to maintain order.
“Therefore we are not afraid of May 13, 1969, to come back. It has passed,” he added
Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon(left), when asked about it after attending the general assembly opening ceremony, chose to give a short reply.“No, I don’t agree with that kind of statement. I don’t think it will be like that,” he said before leaving the venue in a rush.
MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek left the Putra World Trade Center without talking to reporters.
Other Umno leaders seemed to distance themselves from Shahrizat's remark.
Supreme council member Muhkriz Mahathir said Umno has successfully avoided the tragedy from repeating by implementing new policies after the incident.
“I think, whether we agree (with Shahrizat's remark) or not, we have to avoid that from happening,” said the deputy minister.
Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim said there should not be any fear that the racial riots would happen again because there are sufficient laws to enable the police to maintain order.
“Therefore we are not afraid of May 13, 1969, to come back. It has passed,” he added
However, Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein (right) dismissed the attention brought by Shahrizat's May 13 remark in her speech, as a case of "spinning".
"The matter mentioned about the Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat had already told me that this will be another matter that will be used for spinning by certain quarters just because it coincides with the general assembly," he said.
Like the other issues that had coincided with the general assembly, he said these were all attempts to sidetrack the gathering.
"The matter mentioned about the Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat had already told me that this will be another matter that will be used for spinning by certain quarters just because it coincides with the general assembly," he said.
Like the other issues that had coincided with the general assembly, he said these were all attempts to sidetrack the gathering.
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