ANWAR IS RIGHT – IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING MALAY BUT ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM, CAPABILITY & HONESTY: LOOK AT NAJIB – SEE HOW MUCH HE STOLE WHILE APANDI, RAUS & AZALINA CLOSED THEIR EYES

While there may be some concern among Malays that non-Malays have occupied a handful of key posts in the country, racial prejudice should not be part of the discussion.

“I think what’s important is there should not be anything racial … but that you give support to any officer who conducts his or her affairs professionally to dispense justice,” PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said in Penang today.

“Of course, there are some concerns among the Malays that should be addressed like poverty, inequality and marginalisation, but it has nothing to do with race,” he stressed.

Last Saturday night in Semenyih, Nazri, a former minister under BN, said that only Malays should hold the positions of attorney-general, chief justice and finance minister in order to uphold the Federal Constitution and Islam.

Nazri was blasted by several quarters including allies like MCA for also saying that the present attorney-general (Tommy Thomas), chief justice (Richard Malanjum) and finance minister (Lim Guan Eng) could not be trusted as they did not swear upon the Quran when they took their oath of office.

Anwar said there were some Malays who had expressed such views like Nazri but to his mind, those appointed to their posts must continue to work hard.

Anwar said in the west Christians officers swore by the Bible while Muslims swore by the Quran.

“There is no reason to suspect or suggest, they will be biased in their decisions, no reason to question their integrity,” said the Port Dickson MP.

“There were Malays entrusted with jobs and did their work well but others were incapable, unjust and corrupt, some non-Malays too,” Anwar noted.

“Therefore, it is important to make sure people entrusted with the posts conduct their jobs professionally, whether they are Malays, Chinese, Indians or otherwise,” he added.

Asked how he would deal with the likes of Nazri when he becomes prime minister, Anwar said “We are in a more democratic environment now and must respect others, but we must be given the right to counter those arguments”.

MKINI