Respect diversity and be fair in distribution of aid, says Guan Eng

 

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the willingness of Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, to help each other during disasters provides hope that there is a future for everyone in this country. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The government should abandon its discriminatory policy based on race and religion when giving aid to the poor, said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

It must also stop ignoring and neglecting the aspirations of the Chinese who are significant contributors to the country’s revenue, he said.

“The Chinese community wants the government to respect diversity, reward hard work and be fair by ensuring that schools and the poor are helped, regardless of race and religion,” Lim said in a Chinese New Year message.

He said Malaysians had faced many challenges in the last two years due to an inept government, particularly during disasters.

“Despite the lack of leadership and prevailing poor governance, DAP wishes to commend Malaysians for coming together as one nation to look after themselves and assist each other to overcome such disasters.

“Such efforts have not been helped by those who play up racist and extremist sentiments to cover up their failures in managing the crises.

“The willingness of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or background, to help each other gives us hope that there is a future for everyone in our country,” he said.

Lim praised the resilience and enterprising spirit of the Chinese community who had donated time, money and effort during these crises, saying it demonstrated their patriotism and love for Malaysia and its people.

“Let us welcome the Year of the Tiger with a roar for a more prosperous year filled with cautious optimism that our self-reliant spirit will reward those who are diligent and honest,” he said. - FMT