Friday April 16, 2010

Muhyiddin: I’m no racist

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he was not being racist when he said he was Malay first and Malaysian second.

He said he was merely evaluating the position of the Malay race in society.

Speaking during the launch of the 1Malaysia Motivation Expedition Squad by Gagasan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) at Universiti Malaya, Muhyiddin said there was no need for him to be apologetic.

Temple feast: Muhyiddin trying some pani puri offered by Khushvinder Kaur during a Vaisakhi open house at the new Sikh gurdwara in Puchong yesterday.

“Although there are some who label me an ultra for saying that I am Malay first, I am no racist,” he said, adding that young Malays lag behind the other races, especially in education.”

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said he was not entirely satisfied with his first year at the ministry as there was still a lot of room for improvement, not just for Malays but for all Malaysians.

Touching on the ministry’s national key result areas he said the challenge was not for the Government alone but also for groups like GPMS.

He added that Malays had no reason to worry about the New Economic Model: “Even if we address problems on a need basis, the target group that we cannot neglect is the majority (the Malays).”

Earlier in Petaling Jaya, he said the 1Malaysia concept would ensure minority groups would not be marginalised from the mainstream of development.

“Even the minority communities have a place and is protected under the Federal Constitution,” he said at the Vaisakhi Open House and launch of the new Gurdwara Sahib in Puchong here yesterday.

“There is no need to quarrel among ourselves.

“Even though we may have different political ideologies and views, our goal is to contribute towards the goodness of the country rather than harbour ill feelings and create problems,” he said.

At the event, Muhyiddin pledged to allocate RM200,000 towards the new building’s infrastructure cost. Seri Serdang state assemblyman Datuk Satim Diman agreed to give another RM200,000.

Puchong Sikh Association president B. Awhtar Singh said the Gurdwara Sahib needed some RM500,000 for the infrastructure, including a lift.

During the event. Muhyiddin witnessed the entry of 201 Punjabi dishes including chapati, dhal, ladu, and sweets into the Malaysian Book of Record, prepared by some 50 Punjabi families.

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