If nothing concrete is done to curb divisive issues that are created and exacerbated for personal political objectives, then Malaysia will lose out, cautioned Rafidah Aziz.
Failure to act, she said, would also give the impression that local leaders are being held to ransom.
“Malaysia will be perceived as a rudderless nation, influenced by narrow-minded little Napoleons, who give the impression that they are holding the leaders in the coalition government to ransom.
“The world is watching us,” she added in a statement to Malaysiakini.
The former minister said there is no doubt that the vast majority of Malaysians want and strive to live in a peaceful environment with goodwill and harmony.
“But from time to time, driven by inflated egos and an obvious chest-thumping display of assumed power and importance, there are those who simply act without regard for the negative consequences, especially the divisiveness and fractiousness within society.
“It is like throwing sand into the rice pots of other people,” she added.
Therefore, Rafidah hoped the government and relevant authorities would take stern measures to curtail such actions.
She also described these divisive actions as stumbling blocks to national unity, which divert attention and effort for nation-building to “fighting lalang fires”.
“We and the government cannot afford to be continuously distressed and distracted by unnecessary issues created, and purposely fanned by people with their own personal political objectives but at the expense of the people and nation,” she added.
Yesterday, PKR central committee member Manivanan Gowin proposed 10 standard operating procedures (SOP) for the police to adopt to tackle crimes related to race, religion and royalty (3R) in an expeditious manner.
He also said that the police should initiate investigations even in the absence of a police report.
Previously, Home Minister Saifudin Nasution Ismail defended the police's "no report, no action" statement in response to calls for a probe against Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for allegedly inciting racial remarks while wielding a “katana” (Japanese sword) in a picture uploaded on the latter's Facebook page. - Mkini
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