'It was Umno, not Harapan, who oppressed Malays'

The Malay Chambers of Commerce (DPMM) has rubbished claims that the Pakatan Harapan government is oppressing the Malays. 

DPMM vice-president Fauzi Hassan said it was Umno, as well as PAS, which had sidelined the community. 

"Ask the menteris besar of Umno and PAS, how many logging projects were given to Malays?

"Awarding timber contracts falls under the purview of the menteri besar. For 60 years they ruled in Terengganu, Kedah and other states, how many Malay timber tycoons are there?

"If there are any, they are only proxies," he told a press conference in Ampang today. 

Fauzi further accused Umno leaders of "cheating" the Malays into becoming "barua" (running dogs) for non-Malay businesspersons. 

"Umno was smart to convince the Malays to become proxies to the Chinese to secure logging contracts, because basically, the projects cannot be awarded to the non-Malays. 

"This is the style of Umno leaders. Harapan has only been in power for 65 days, and they are already being questioned.

"Why can't we question those who ruled for 60 years?"

Last month, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said that his prediction that Malays would become "bastardised" (terbangsat) in if Umno lost power had become a reality.

Naming and shaming

At the press conference, former DPMM president Syed Ali Alattas echoed Fauzi's sentiment, saying that even members of the organisation have fallen victim to oppression. 

"In Johor (for instance), who got the land? Who got the projects to install signboards? Not a single Malay got it, and some of them got scolded (for bringing the issue up)," he said. 

DPMM, Syed Ali added, is also in the midst of collecting information on businesspersons who managed to secure government tenders, he added.

"We will list down the names of businesspersons who got them, and shame them. Whoever they may be, from the top to the bottom, we will name them."

On another matter, Syed Ali, who also chairs the organisation's research and development foundation, said that it would hold a dinner function on September 2 to celebrate Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's return to power. 

During the function, DPMM will also officially launch a fund called 'TUNM' or Tabung Untuk Negara Malaysia.\

The fund has thus far collected RM500,000, out of which RM125,000 will be channelled to Tabung Harapan, said Syed Ali. 

The remainder will be given to the hardcore poor, education funds and for the needy, he added.  -Mkini