DAP wants Malays to unite with other races, Isma wants Malays to HATE others

In the latest retort by increasingly right wing Muslim NGO Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) against DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang, the latter has been accused of “wanting to wipe out the Malay race, language and culture.”

In addition, Isma deputy president Aminuddin Yahaya also suggested that Kit Siang no longer needs to “pretend and hide behind his Malaysian mask,” as he has been “rejecting the Malays since the 1960s.”

Aminuddin also took affront to Kit Siang’s recent statement pointing out that the “greatest enemy to Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy… are cancer organisations like Isma which preaches the politics of hate, intolerance, lies and racism,” by accusing Kit Siang of not wanting the Malays to stand united.

Besides the above, Isma also claims that DAP is anti-Islam and that the real struggle of the party was to “abolish the special rights of the Malays and Bumiputera….”

First of all, the DAP’s political struggle since our inception 48 years ago has not only been an attempt to cultivate a Malaysian identity that places patriotism and love for the nation above all else, but also to accept the social compact agreed upon in the 1957 Merdeka Constitution. This includes the preservation of the Malays’ special position, Malay as the official language and Islam as the religion of the federation. Perhaps Aminuddin can tell us which of these goals can be considered to be an attempt to wipe out the Malay people, language and culture.

In fact, going by Isma’s consistently divisive and racially charged statements in recent times, it is clear that it is Isma who wants to see the Malays fractured and divided. While Isma intends for Malays to be united in hatred towards others, the DAP has throughout its existence always wanted Malays to stand united with other races for the collective good of the country. Again, we wonder who the extremist bigots are.

Before jumping to further false conclusions about the DAP, I suggest that Aminuddin and the rest of his colleagues at Isma first learn more about the history of the party by reading the party constitution and important party documents such as the Shah Alam Declaration, which affirms the DAP’s struggle for a united and peaceful Malaysia for all Malaysians.

Finally, if indeed the DAP is anti-Islamic or anti-Malay, then how can the DAP have survived as a political party in Malaysia for nearly half a century? In fact, the DAP has not only persevered but has today built up one the most diverse portfolio of elected representatives amongst all the political parties in the country, with representatives who are ethnic Chinese, Malays, Indians and East Malaysian natives.

If Isma continues to make such wild, irresponsible and unfounded accusations, Malaysians will soon recognise them as nothing more than Perkasa 2.0 and a voice for crude and malicious politics in our country.

Zairil Khir Johari is Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera