MUAR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed has described political parties led by non-Malays as 'parti pendatang' (migrant parties).
He said that the unwillingness of the non-Malays to assimilate with Malay culture, including creating their own political parties, contributes to the racial issues in the country.
"We do not see this in countries such as Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia where there are political parties created for 'pendatang' (migrants).
"But in Malaysia, these 'pendatang' live here and receive the citizenship of this country but are still distancing themselves.
"Even in politics, they are establishing their own parties. This is why there are still racial issues in this country. It is not that we do not like them but they are the ones who do not like us," he said
He said this in a ceramah at the Bakri PAS Markaz here on Sunday (Sept 3).
"Pakatan Harapan is led by a person who tells us that this country does not only belong to the Malays and that it also belongs to others.
"He wants to give this country away to outsiders. This I cannot accept as we are the ones who explored and open up the peninsular," he said.
He added that he would continue to talk about 3R (Race, Religion, and Royalty) as it is his right to talk about such matters.