DPM: Wrong to say only one race fought for country

KUALA LUMPUR: It is inaccurate to claim that only one race has sacrificed for the country, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).

 

The Deputy Prime Minister was responding to a recent remark made by Ummah chairman Ismail Mina Ahmad, who said that only the Malays had fought the British colonists, Japanese occupiers and the communists.

 

Referring to writings by historian Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim, Dr Ahmad Zahid said history has shown that all races in the country fought the struggle against Japanese occupiers and communists.

 

"History has recorded all the contributions made by all races in fighting the Japanese and the communists. It is very inaccurate to say that only one race had fought for the country,” said Dr Ahmad Zahid.

 

He said this during a press conference held after the "Building a nation of integrity" forum at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity on Tuesday (Jan 16).

 

"There is no need to create a polemic because all races have given their best for the country," Dr Ahmad Zahid added.

 

Ismail's remark was met with hostility by Malaysians, with MCA on Monday (Jan 15) calling for him to be investigated for sedition.

 

At the same time, National Patriots Association (NPA) chairman Brigadier-General (retired) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji also refuted Ismail's remarks, saying that officers of all ethnicities had fought alongside Malay veterans.

 

Mohamed Arshad added the Communist Party of Malay (CPM) did not comprise wholly of ethnic Chinese, noting that its leaders had included Abdullah CD, Rashid Mydin, and Samsiah Pakeh, who were ethnic Malay.

 

Ummah is an umbrella organisation of around 300 local Muslim non-governmental organisations.