That's politics, then and now - Rafidah on racial and religious rhetoric

Former minister Rafidah Aziz today acknowledged the drumming up of racial and religious sentiment after the 14th general election, but said this was not the first time a scenario like this had played out.

Stating that such was the nature of politics, Rafidah said she too was subjected to similar attacks when she contested the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat.

"When I was contesting in Kuala Kangsar, PAS supporters refused to greet me. A pakciktold me that 'I will not greet a kafir (infidel)'.

"I told the pakcik I've been to Mecca in 1982, I'm a Hajjah but pakcik is calling a kafir. But what do I care? Even if you don't want to vote for me, it's fine," she said.

She said the strategy employed by PAS at the time led Muslims to call each other infidels.

Rafidah was speaking today at a dialogue session in Shah Alam.

The former Umno veteran is now aligned to its splinter party Bersatu. She had helped campaigned against Umno in the run-up to the last general election, which saw BN losing the federal government for the first time in 61 years.

'Befriending a tiger'

Likewise, Rafidah said certain quarters were co-operating today due to politics.

She did not mention names, but appear to be referring to the Umno-PAS alliance which had been drumming up racial and religious sentiment.

Yesterday, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly described the Umno-PAS partnership as a ‘jihad’ (holy war) but later clarified that what he meant was a ‘struggle’.

"It is even willing to befriend a tiger that is about to pounce on them.

"I am not surprised that this (party) wants to join forces due to political objectives, but not because of wanting to bring development," she said.

On a separate issue, Rafidah said the public should not judge leaders based on their appearances.

She said even among those who appear pious, there are kleptocrats.

"Sorry to say, there are even imams who are kleptocrats," she said. - Mkini