KUALA LUMPUR — Umno's Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor tarred PKR's N. Surendran today as a “loyar burok” (a Malay pejorative meaning terrible lawyer) for accusing the Malay nationalist party of supporting apartheid racial policies.
The Umno secretary-general pointed out that there are Chinese and Tamil schools in Malaysia, and that the Chinese, Indians and other communities are doing well.
“Umno is a party who believes in anti-apartheid,” Tengku Adnan told reporters after a function at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) training institute here today.
“We believe in the struggle of Mandela... Surendran is mad. Does he understand what apartheid is?” added the Putrajaya MP, referring to South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela who died last week.
Opponent not friend
News portal Malaysiakini reported Surendran, who is a PKR vice-president, last Monday as comparing Umno to South Africa's National Party that was founded on the apartheid policy of racial segregation to ensure the political and economic dominance of the white minority.
“Umno's struggle is the same as the apartheid party... Umno is more like the opponent of Mandela,” Surendran was quoted as saying in response to the Malay nationalist party professing similarity to the late icon’s struggle.
The Padang Serai MP reportedly pointed out that Malay supremacy was constantly bandied about in the Umno general assembly last week.
“I would call this a complete insult and desecration of Mandela's beliefs,” he was quoted as saying.
Mandela, the first president of democratic South Africa, died on December 5 at age 95.
Tengku Adnan said today that Datuk Seri Najib Razak was merely “explaining” when the prime minister compared Umno's struggle to Mandela's anti-apartheid battle. - Malay Mail
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