PMX grilled for defending DAP as non-racist party, never disputes Malay rights

 

THE run-up to this weekend’s (July 11) Johor state election is literally heating up for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as detractors found yet another avenue to troll him – this time when he refuted the narrative of certain quarters who try to portray DAP as racist by having disputed the Malay rights.

As evidence, DAP has never objected to the idea of gazetting 20.23 hectares of land in Bandar Malaysia as Malay Reserve Land, according to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman.

However, PMX contended that the onus is on him as the head of the unity government to be fair to all races by ensuring that the country’s prosperity can be enjoyed together.

“We do programmes (for the Malay community), Bumiputeras, increase allocations for Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB), it (DAP) has no problem,” he told the Meeting Anwar Programme in Muar yesterday (July 5).

“But I’ve to ensure that programmes for the Chinese aren’t blocked. Poor Chinese should be helped, poor Indians should be helped, the majority of poor Malays should be helped.”

A fair statement to all discerning Madani backers except the rightist fraternity who chastised PMX wholesomely for being “a No.1 DAP backer”, chiefly by “turning a deaf ear whenever DAP disputes Malay rights”.

Such reaction seemed to fill up the comment section in the Facebook pages of Malay language news portals Berita KS and Dramajor which carried PMX’s statement.

More specifically, many commenters ticked off PMX for lying by laying bare numerous examples of DAP having disputed Malay rights.

“This is the most untrue statement,” fumed one commenter as he listed out some examples.

“1. UEC Unified Examination Certificate). 2. They attacking the rights of Malay rulers. 3. They even wanted to penetrate Tabung Haji. 4. They want UITM (Universiti Teknologi MARA) to be open to everyone. 5. Abolishment of Bumiputera entry quota. 6. Abolishment of public pension scheme even when 90% of those affected are Malays.”

Another chided that DAP has even disputed the construction of a mosque in Bukit Bintang [in front of the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) development].

Even the appointment of DAP deputy secretary Hannah Yeoh as the Federal Territory Minister became a sore point with one rightist wondering “if everything is handed over to DAP, where then lie the rights and assets of the Malays?”

“There is more … Residents of Kampung Sungai Baru had to be evicted but DAP wants Chinese New Villages to be made a UNESCO site,” jibed another.

One commenter found it difficult to imagine how PMX who was the prime mover of ABIM (Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement) by launching the National Policy Bureau with a burning passion to defend the Malays/Islam “can suddenly become a DAP lapdog”.

Other presumably opposition-slant commenters warned that “Malaysia can be on the path of destruction if DAP is let to have its way” with one commenter reminded PMX that while he can be indebted to DAP for its 40 seats, “he wasn’t the choice of the Malays in GE15 (15th General Election)”.

“PMX is still not the choice of the Malays. PMX is beholden to DAP,” he concluded.

The bottom-line is “while PMX can pretend not to notice DAP’s whims and fancies since befriending the party, the rakyat are all ears and eyes on every DAP behaviour”.

“They’ve hurt the hearts and feelings of the Malays, especially the Malay rulers,” reiterated one commenter while another expects PH “to  bungkus (suffer heavy defeat)” in the Johor state polls.

 - Focus Malaysia