If things have developed to such a stage that every commercial sub-sector has to have separate Malay and non-Malay components, this is without he slightest doubt an attempt to bring back to life the evil racial segregation policy in this country.
Tan Poh Kheng, Sin Chew Daily
Soon after PM Najib took office, he introduced the “1Malaysia” concept in hope of bringing all Malaysians irrespective of race and religion together to enjoy equitable rights and status and stay united.
Our government officials’ job is none other than promoting national unity and harmony.
Sure enough the “1Malaysia” slogan has been aggressively used by government agencies and we have seen a plethora of government projects, policies and actions prefixed with this “1M” tag, including BR1M, PR1MA, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia, etc.
But, this 1Malaysia spirit has apparently been crushed by our rural and regional development minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Inspired by the theft-turned-riot incident at Low Yat Plaza in August, our minister exercised his racism-infatuated creativity to the fullest by proposing a Malays-only Low Yat 2, in a clear attempt to create a distinct demarcation between the Malays and Chinese in the country.
Sabri was unperturbed by the public backlash, and would press ahead with his Low Yat 2 project which will eventually open its doors for business come Dec 8. 100% of the 36 shoplots are bumi-held. And if this goes smoothly, MARA is prepared to duplicate similar 100% bumi retail centers nationwide.
It has become a norm in this country for the government to hold out assistance to the bumiputras, encouraging them to involve themselves in commercial activities. However, if things have developed to such a stage that every commercial sub-sector has to have separate Malay and non-Malay components, this is without he slightest doubt an attempt to bring back to life the evil racial segregation policy in this country.
Just because majority of the retailers at Low Yat Plaza are Chinese, we must therefore set up another Low Yat 2 that is 100% bumi-operated. The confrontational racist hue couldn’t have been more glaring here.
As a federal minister in a multiracial country, Sabri should be representing the Malays as well as the Chinese and Indians, fighting for the well-being of all Malaysians irrespective of race and religion, instead of continuously fanning racial emotions.
Interracial relationship in this country has been taut in recent years thanks to the irresponsible racist remarks by our government officials for their own political gains. Because of such pathetic quality of our cabinet ministers, the moderate image the government has been working so hard to establish has been obliterated.
When he was the agriculture minister, Sabri even called on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese traders. Not long ago, he just hit out at the health ministry for banning vaporizers because this would jeopardize the businesses of Malay traders.
Chinese Malaysians have been working so hard to build up their businesses, but our minister has obviously failed to visualize or be motivated by their diligence and uncompromising spirit. In its stead, he has tried to create a Malays-only business domain, completely sequestered from the other communities.
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