Govt will fight racial sentiments with facts, says Guan Eng

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng speaking at the Selangor DAP State Ordinary Convention 2018.

PETALING JAYA: The government will fight racial and religious sentiments with facts and figures, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today.

He said if the government could prove that the people were better off under Pakatan Harapan (PH) than during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, the racial sentiments played up by the opposition could be defeated.

“We don’t want to fight emotions with emotions, sentiments with sentiments. We must fight it with facts and figures.

“This is our responsibility. We need to work hard every day to improve the economy for the people. Should we succeed, the people will continue to support the government that can do better at the next election,” he said.

During his speech at the Selangor DAP State Ordinary Convention 2018, Lim, who is also the finance minister, said PH had proven before that this was the best approach against the opposition.

Lim, who was previously the Penang chief minister, pointed out that this was done both in Selangor and Penang, which resulted in PH winning big in the 14th general election (GE14).

“When I was the Penang CM, I faced demonstrations almost weekly by the opposition playing the race card.

“But when the people got what they never got before, PH won 37 out of 40 Penang state seats. Their economy has improved. This is PH’s formula for success,” he said.

He was commenting on the anti-ICERD rally yesterday which saw thousands of protesters taking part.

Lim said claims by the opposition that they were defending the rights and privileges of the Malays and Islam could not be taken lightly.

“This is a dangerous political development. The government already decided not to ratify ICERD.

“They are making an issue out of nothing. In their speeches they’re saying that non-Malay MPs are getting more benefits. They forgot about Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Are they not Malay? Are they not Muslims?”

Lim also said DAP would now have to play their role differently compared to when it was an opposition party.

He said a party that offers an alternative to the people must have plans to build the nation and to improve the lives of the people, instead of harping on racial or religious sentiments which would cause unrest. -FMT