Published: Saturday June 16, 2012 MYT 7:23:00 PM

DPM: No racial discrimination by BN in channeling aid

BUTTERWORTH: The Barisan Nasional does not practise racial discrimination in its efforts to eradicate poverty, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Saturday.

He said the aid given out by the Barisan-led government was given out to all races that were eligible and the needy.

He said the allegations and claims by the opposition that the Barisan only gave priority to the welfare of the Malays were lies and slanderous because all races in the country had enjoyed various assistance provided by the federal government.

"If the Barisan is only for the Malays, only helped the Malays, then the Malays would have become millionaires long ago. In Penang, there are Malays who still need assistance, the same goes for the Chinese and Indians.

"We champion the cause of all the races. The government policy to help the bumiputera is not because they are Malays, but because they are poor. The same goes for the other races," he said at a public gathering at Taman Tanjung Aman, here.

Muhyiddin said all races had equal rights to aid, including schooling aid provided by the government.

"We also assist the national-type schools and Chinese schools...everyone has the right to receive education. As the Education Minister, I ensure that all citizens in the country receive proper education," he said.

He said the government would not stop to channel aid to all citizens even though the states concerned are under the opposition pact rule.

"The opposition are only interested to politicise issues and are not doing anything for the people, they are only 'auta' (hot air)," he said.

At the gathering, Muhyiddin also announced an allocation of RM500,000 for development in the Bagan area.

More than 40,000 people attended the gathering organised by the state Barisan in the constituency represented by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. - Bernama

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