Reject Umno’s provocation, says Guan Eng

The chief minister tells Malaysians not to fall prey to Umno and its agents' attempts to stir up anti-Chinese sentiments in the aftermath of the 13th general election.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants Malaysians to overcome provocative actions by Umno and its agents to stir up anti-Chinese sentiments in the aftermath of the 13th general election.

He said Malaysians must oppose racist boycott against products made by Chinese busineses and demonisation of the community as enemies of the Malays.

He also wants Malaysians to resist Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s open threat not to assist the Chinese community anymore.

He said Malaysians must also reject Utusan Malaysia’s call to celebrate the murder of innocent Malaysians during the May 13 racial riots.

“We are encouraged by the courageous actions of many Malays who have rejected Umno’s racist agenda and Utusan Malaysia.

“We must not lose hope but continue this journey of catharsis towards this spirit of renewal for a new Malaysia,” said Lim in an e-statement posted on his blog today.

The Bagan MP said Malaysians had to go through purification of spiritual renewal towards a people-centric government that would respect democracy, truth, freedom, justice, integrity and social welfare.

He claimed that Barisan Nasional was resisting such spiritual renewal for Malaysia, as evidently shown by regressive and extremist forces led by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyidin Yassin.

In his statement, Lim tried to play down the “Chinese tsunami” decisive factor that virtually determined the voting pattern of the recently concluded 13th general election.

He claims that Malaysian political life was dominated by Malays and DAP had never staked a claim for the positions of prime minister or deputy prime minister.

He criticised Mahathir for claiming that the election results demonstrated Chinese racism stirred up by DAP to ensure the community dominates Malaysian politics.

Distracting public attention
Lim accused Mahathir and Umno of distracting public attention from the fact that BN lost the popular vote for the first time.

He said the results were caused by a spatial or geographical urban-rural divide where Pakatan Rakyat won the urban vote but lost the rural vote, encompassing all races whether Malays, Indians, Chinese, Ibans or Kadazans.

Lim said Umno extremists conveniently ignored the fact that Chinese only formed 25% of the country’s population.

“Even if every Chinese supported Pakatan, where did the remaining 26% popular votes come from?

“In Terengganu with less than five percent Chinese voters, was it the Chinese voters who nearly cost Umno the state?” he asked.

BN retained the Terengganu government by a narrow 17-15 seat difference.

He also criticised Mahathir for claiming that Karpal Singh was the only non-Chinese to be elected to DAP’s highest decision-making body, the central executive committee (CEC).

Pointing out that M Kulasegaran, Gobind Singh Deo and Zairil Abdullah Khir Johari were also elected, Lim asked: “Were they also Chinese?”

He claimed that Umno had lied by claiming that the DAP won only in Chinese majority areas, ignoring unprecedented results of the party’s Malay and Chinese candidates winning in Malay majority areas with comfortable majorities such as:

1. The Seremban parliamentary seat in Negeri Sembilan won by Anthony Loke by a majority of 12,553 votes or 53% of the popular vote in a seat with 44% Malay voters, 14% Indian and 41% Chinese voters;

2. Raub parliament seat in Pahang with 50% Malay, 40% Chinese 6% Indian and 4% others;

3. Duyong state seat in Melaka with 50% Malay voters;

4. Mentakab state seat in Pahang with 52% Malay, 40% Chinese 6% Indian and 2% others; and

5.Derga state seat in Kedah won by Tan Kok Yew with 1,156 votes, a seat with 56% Malay, 39% Chinese and 4% Indian and 1% others.

Lim said that Mahathir was certainly willing to kill his own Vision 2020 to build a Malaysian race in pursuit of his racist agenda.

He alleged that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had willingly allowed Muhyiddin to kill off his own 1Malaysia slogan in support of Mahathir.