Dr M credits country’s success to Malays’ willingness to share

Participants await the start of the rally at the Perak Malay Perkasa Assembly in Pasir Salak. — Pic by Melissa Chi

PASIR SALAK, Feb 26 — Malaysia is prosperous and peaceful today because the Malays are willing to share the country with other races, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.

The former prime minister was addressing a 10,000 strong rally here today at the Perak Perkasa Assembly.

“We know that this country is successful because the Malays are willing to cooperate with other races for the past 50 years and have governed the country not just with the Malays but with other races as well.

“We were willing to share the governing of this country,” he said.

Perkasa supporters chanted “Hidup Melayu” at the rally. — Pic by Melissa Chi

Dr Mahathir claimed that the Malays live in worse conditions compared to other races.

“What is owned by other people, we don’t question, that’s their right, but the little right that we have, don’t take that away from us,” he said, speaking of the privileges promised in the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Dr Mahathir said it was not their intention to use violence to take away the rights of other races, like what is going on in other countries; instead, he said he is only asking that their rights not be snatched away from them.

“Our fight is halal, we fight only for our place in this country. It is not a lot, what we’re asking of this country even though we make up 60 per cent of the country, we’re only asking for 30 per cent, only half of that.

“I don’t think it is greedy to only ask for half of what is supposed to be our right,” he said.

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