‘Move away from race-based politics’

Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji. -filepic

PETALING JAYA: The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has urged all political parties to move away from race-based politics in line with Malaysia’s multiracial society.

Its president Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said this was because racism and racial politicking has now encroached into a danger zone.

“Constructive change must start before our nation and society descend into permanent destruction,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said that in the last few by-elections, politicians had made racially charged speeches aimed at inciting hatred just to secure votes, adding that the recent calls for MCA and MIC to leave the Barisan Nasional coalition was also “mischievous and bewildering”.

Mohamed Arshad said this indicated “politics has rolled back into pure racism”.

“Barisan’s founding fathers had forged a coalition to strengthen unity among the three major races. Historically, it was pragmatic then for race-based political parties to be formed.

“The like-mindedness, understanding and the willingness to strengthen the bond of brotherliness and friendship among the various races that our founding fathers had carved out for this nation is now being threatened by selfish and self-centred politicians, particularly by those that had held powerful positions in government before,” he added.

Mohamed Arshad said the discussion that both Umno and PAS have become a one-issue party by harping on Malay supremacy or Malay-Muslim unity against others had also led certain Pakatan Harapan politicians to propagate policies of the Malay agenda.

He called on all political leaders to “get back on track” to think as a Malaysian first and not otherwise.

“Serve all Malaysian people, and not to exercise parochial politics and show bias towards a particular race,” he said.

Mohamed Arshad said Malaysian society could not remain parochial in its societal outlook any longer after six decades of independence.

“We ought to be more inclusive and symbiotic in facing the challenges of our country as a truly one Malaysian people.

“We have enough of politics of building obstacles instead of building bridges, enough of politics of ‘they versus us’, and enough of politics of exclusivity and not inclusivity. These are dark political clouds shielding the glorious Malaysian sun.

“Tolerance and understanding were trashed and replaced with championing racial hatred. The propagation of race and religion now takes centre stage and if this is allowed to fester, there is little hope of ever seeing a united Malaysian society,” he said.- Star