WHY CAN’T RAIS YATIM THINK LIKE GUAN ENG: ‘I AM NOT SAYING I’M NOT A CHINESE, I’M SAYING I AM MALAYSIAN FIRST’ – FINANCE MINISTER TELLS MALAYSIANS NOT TO BE TIED DOWN BY RACIAL SENTIMENTS

GEORGE TOWN – Malaysians should not be tied down by racial sentiments to the point of losing their humanity, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today.

Commenting on the racial and religious issues being played up by Umno in the Sungai Kandis by-election, Lim said it was very perplexing how on one hand, the opposition says DAP is controlling national affairs but, on the other end, there are those who say DAP is being controlled.

“Racial sentiments are still being expressed.

“Recently, MCA criticised me for not wanting to admit I am Chinese, but a Malaysian.

“I am not saying I’m not a Chinese. I am saying I am Malaysian first.

“I issued a statement on Israel and criticised the position of the Israeli regime.

“Even then, the MCA criticised me for selling out my own principles, as I was more concerned for the Palestinians than the Chinese.

“Are we really going to be tied down by racial sentiments to the point of losing our humanity?

“When we see something wrong, even though it did not happen in our country, is it wrong for us to voice out on the basis of humanity?” he said at a press conference here today after launching a pictorial book titled “Healing Penang Hill”.

Also present was Penang Hill Corporation general manager Cheok Lay Leng and Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng.

Lim said PAS and Umno were being extreme in their views on one end (anti-non-Malays), while MCA played out issues from the other end.

“You see these two are the voices trying to destroy Malaysia. They may be extreme on different ends but, strangely enough, they can cooperate.

“But the rakyat are not stupid. This is only a dirty political game by a directionless Barisan Nasional (BN), which has now lost its way due to the 1MDB scandal.

“Now, Pakatan Harapan (PH) represents all and takes care of all, whether in or out of the country. We see the choices made in the 14th general election were clear,” he added.

The Sungai Kandis state by-election on Aug 4 will be a three-cornered fight involving PKR, Barisan Nasional and an independent candidate.

The candidates are Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni (PKR), Lokman Noor Adam (BN) and K Murthy (independent).

The by-election was brought about by the death of assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei of PKR, who died of cancer on July 2.

– FMT