New dawn for Malaysia when Dr M joins DAP’s anniversary do, says Zaid

The former minister says it will symbolise the end of racial politics when two leaders hailed as Malay and Chinese icons meet.

Twitter pic.

KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s attendance at DAP’s anniversary celebration in Johor this weekend will bring a new era of cooperation and mutual respect between Malays and non-Malays, says former minister Zaid Ibrahim.

“I am looking forward to this historic event. I say ‘historic’ because a united and peaceful Malaysia can only materialise when Malays and Chinese respect and trust each other, and are committed to working together for the good of the country,” Zaid wrote in his blog today.

Zaid is also confident that the coming together of the former prime minister and DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang will end the “current formula” of pitting the Malays against the Chinese, adding that the two veteran leaders must work to “restart a proper government machinery where the government serves the people and not the political party in power”.

On Sunday, DAP will hold its 51st anniversary celebration in Ayer Hitam, where the party is expected to name its candidate for the parliamentary seat there to take on the incumbent, MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong.

Zaid, who joined DAP last year, said Lim was without doubt the leader of the Chinese community in Malaysia while Dr Mahathir was the undisputed leader of the Malays.

“It’s a blessing and certainly historic that their relationship has blossomed since the start of the Save Malaysia campaign. Their mutual respect stems from their recognition that they have to work together to defeat racist politics and hardened religious extremists from destroying our future,” he said. -FMT