‘Most non-Malays are moderates’

KUALA LUMPUR: Leaders and supporters of DAP are the ones who lack respect for the feelings of Malays while most non-Malays are mode­rates, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The majority of non-Malay communities, he added, were moderates who respected the sentiments and sensitivities of other races.

This was evident, said Dr Ahmad Zahid, in comments made by the Opposition party and their ­supporters, especially those posted on pro-opposition news portals and social media.

He said a newspaper report which quoted him as saying that non-Malays were getting increasingly arrogant and insulting bumiputras, royalty and Islam had been taken out of context.

He said he was referring to leaders and supporters of DAP, who lacked respect for the feelings of the Ma­­lays, in his speech.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, also an Umno vice-president, said Barisan Nasional had non-Malay-based component parties, which were certainly not racists in their approach.

Earlier, the minister had been cri­ticised for his alleged comment.

MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon said if the reported statement by Dr Ahmad Zahid was indeed true, he must apologise for labelling non-Malays as “arrogant” because such a comment had hurt the people’s feelings.

The reality was that all Malay­sians, regardless of race and religion, had been living harmoniously to build the nation, except for a handful of extremists, he added.

MCA Youth, said Chong, would support the minister and Attorney-General in taking proper action against those who had broken or attempted to break the peace shared among the diverse Malaysian society.

Gerakan deputy president Datuk Dr Cheah Soon Hai said if Dr Ahmad Zahid had really made such a statement, it was prejudicial and promoted ill-will among the various communities in Malaysia.

Leaders, he said, should not brand non-Malays just because of the actions of a few.

“Likewise, it is unfair to stigmatise any group because a few members are extremist in their views, like Perkasa or Isma, because I am certain they do not represent the Malays,” he said.