Leave race, religion out of business disputes, says Zahid

DPM says arguing along racial or religious lines only serves to "paint the wrong picture" of an issue that has clearly nothing to do with it.

PUTRAJAYA: The Deputy Prime Minister has said that people should not resort to pitting one’s race and religion against each other when attempting to settle disputes about business deals that had turned sour.

“If there is a misunderstanding or unhappiness that arises between them, then it should be dealt with as it is and nothing else.

“Racial or religious factors should not be dragged in,” The Star Online reported Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Home Minister, as saying.

“It will paint a wrong picture when the issue is clearly not about ethnicity or religion.

“This is not in line with what we should be doing, which is to ensure there is peace and harmony among various races in Malaysia,” he said to reporters.

He was alluding to the brawl at Kota Raya Shopping Complex recently where errant traders were attacked by a group of disgruntled customers who alleged to having been cheated by them.

Earlier this week, police arrested former army-man, Ali Tinju, under the Sedition Act for allegedly uttering inflammatory words of a racial nature in relation to the Kota Raya affair.