Monday March 26, 2012
1Malaysia concept would be hard to achieve if politics still race-based, says PPP chief
By RINTOS MAIL
rintos@thestar.com.my
KUCHING: PPP president Datuk Seri M Kayveas has called on Malaysians to do away with race-based politics, or risk losing the political stability that they have enjoyed over the last five decades.
He also expressed his concern that the country might not be able to achieve the developed nation status if ethnic-based politics remained “alive and well” in the country.
Kayveas said it was unfortunate to have to face a dilemma of playing race-politics despite efforts undertaken by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to create the “1Malaysia” race.
“We talk about creating one race for all Malaysians, but Umno still continues to fight for the Malays, MCA the Chinese and MIC the Indians during their general assemblies.
“This is the politics of the 40s that cannot be used in Malaysia any more, especially when the country moves forward to achieve a developed na-tion status. Since the Prime Minister has been preaching the 1Malaysia concept, we all should be speaking with one voice — that of Malaysia now,” he said at the Sarawak PPP fund-raising dinner here Saturday.
Kayveas said PPP had not only been preaching, but also creating the 1Malaysian race since 1996. He claimed the the concept today was in fact an extension of PPP’s, which it had adopted since its formation 18 years ago.
Kayveas, however, said PPP alone could not do much to help the country achieve the 1Malaysian race, adding that the country needed strong political willpower from both sides of the political divide to do this.
He acknowledged that navigating ethnic divisions was not easy, but contenders for power must realise the ultimate need of the future, which would be the inclusion of all Malaysians.
“All Malaysians must fight for their rights and be identified wholly as Malaysians.
“Malaysians have always been identified as Malaysians when they travel to the US, Europe or any other countries but unfortunately when they come back here, it reverts to them being identified either as Ma-lays, Chinese, Indians or others.”
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