Fahmi to KJ: Are you saying there are no Malay Muslims in PH?

 

JEMPOL: Pakatan Harapan communications director Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil has hit back at Khairy Jamaluddin’s claim that Barisan Nasional’s cooperation with Perikatan Nasional in the Negri Sembilan election was a signal for Pakatan to be more sensitive to Malay issues.

The Communications Minister questioned whether the former Umno Youth chief believed there were no Malay Muslims in Pakatan.

Fahmi said it was wrong to suggest that only certain political figures understood or championed Malay and Islamic interests, adding that many Pakatan leaders were themselves Malay Muslims.

“Is (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim not a Malay Muslim? Is (Datuk Seri) Mohamad Sabu not a Malay Muslim? Is (Datuk Seri Dr) Dzulkefly Ahmad not a Malay Muslim? Are (Datuk Seri) Amirudin Shari and (Datuk Seri) Aminuddin Harun not Malay Muslims?

“I think we should stop playing with this false narrative. As Muslims, if we speak falsely, there will be consequences in the hereafter.

“My advice to Khairy is to exercise restraint. Don’t become so obsessed with certain views that you end up creating the impression that there are no Malay Muslims in Pakatan,” he told reporters when met at Felda Palong 2 here on Monday (July 20).

Fahmi said he himself was well aware of issues affecting the Malay community and rejected the notion that Khairy had a monopoly on such concerns.

“As a Malay, I am very aware and sensitive to the issues he mentioned. Khairy is not the only person who understands Malay issues.

“My late grandfather and grandmother were Umno members. My late grandmother was a strong Umno supporter who fought for the interests of Malays and Islam. Why would I abandon those values?” Fahmi said.

He also suggested Khairy’s remarks were part of an attempt to re-establish his political standing after spending time away from frontline politics.

“I see this as Khairy trying to rebuild his political footing. He has been away for quite some time and is trying to re-establish himself, so he will make whatever statements he feels are necessary to gain public attention,” he said.

Khairy had said Barisan’s electoral cooperation with Perikatan in the Aug 1 Negri Sembilan election was intended to send a message to Pakatan that it should not take Umno and Barisan for granted and should pay greater attention to issues affecting the Malay community.

He also claimed some Umno members believed the Federal Government had been insufficiently sensitive to Malay concerns and had failed to fulfil several of its promises. - FMT