Published: Thursday October 15, 2009 MYT 11:36:00 AM
Updated: Thursday October 15, 2009 MYT 9:02:22 PM
Umno is not racist: Najib
Najib: Umno is not racist Najib: Integrity and respect Najib: We can change Reaction to Umno president's speech
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has warned political parties to not simply accuse Umno of being racist.
Najib said parties which accused Umno of being racist should look at themselves and the reality of the racial composition in their own parties and check if it truly reflected the openess they have been espousing.
“If the Malays are truly racist as alleged, we would not have accepted the cultures of other ethnic groups which are being practised here.
“We would also not have allowed vernacular schools to be established and it would have been impossible to cooperate closely with other component parties within the Barisan Nasional over the decades,” he said in his maiden presidential address at the party’s 60th annual general assembly here on Thursday.
Najib warned those making such accusations not be so arrogant as to claim that they were multiracial parties which practised moral purity and intellectual sincerity.
Reflecting on the May 13, 1969 tragedy, Najib said Umno leaders would have chosen not to continue with democracy which had been suspended and would have instead set up a single-party government or supported a military coup d’etat.
“However, that never took place,” he said.
He said the fact that Umno had worked hard to restore democracy within 18 months from that incident clearly showed that it was not power crazy and was far from being a racist party.
Najib said the true meaning of racism would be like apartheid practised by South Africa in the past.
Even in the United States, he said blatant racism was the norm until the mid-1960s where schools, washrooms and even sitting arrangements in restaurants and buses were segregated.
“In Malaysia, the situation is different as the Malays are inclusive in nature. It is obvious that if the Malays were racist, they would not have allowed Malacca to be a prosperous entreport in the 15th century,” he added.
The party president also reminded Umno members and leaders to reflect on themselves, identify their weaknesses and correct mistakes, adding their actions should mirror good morals and noble values.
“I believe the kind of leaders that the rakyat (people) favour are those who are humble. Do remember that in a democratic country like ours, it is the rakyat who choose the leaders.
”They want leaders who are always ready to serve. Do not be shy to go to the ground and get close to the grassroots, no matter how high a post we hold.
”The rakyat will hate leaders who isolate themseves, who are unapproachable and those who are arrogant,” he said.
He said leaders who showed sincerity in serving the rakyat would be were respected by the people, adding that negative perception on Umno leaders’ integrity would result in the rakyat shying away from supporting the party.
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