KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth has called on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) to apologise to victims of the Memali tragedy before asking PAS to apologise for labelling Umno members "kafir" (infidel).
Its youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the Memali tragedy, that claimed 18 lives, happened in 1985, during Dr Mahathir's tenure as the fourth prime minister.
"Dr Mahathir should apologise because the incident happened during his tenure," he said.
Asyraf said this when asked to comment on Dr Mahathir's call for PAS to apologise to Umno first before forging political collaboration.
Asyraf said it was a blessing in disguise that Dr Mahathir was no longer the Umno president.
"Because it had made it possible for Umno and PAS, the two biggest Malay Muslim parties, to finally forge ties," he said.
Asked if Umno Youth would demand an apology from PAS for labelling them as "kafir", Asyraf said it was time to move on.
"Let bygones be bygones," he said.
Umno Youth also took a swipe at Pakatan Harapan ministers for stirring racial discord.
"We call on the government to stop playing the race card," he said, noting that Hindraf and DAP ministers had yet to apologise after making racist remarks.
Asyraf also took a swipe at Parti Amanah Negara minister Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof for making irresponsible claims about the yet-to-be-unveiled PAS-Umno charter.
Umno Youth has also expressed support for the "Buy Muslim First" (BMF) campaign initiated by several non-governmental organisations.
He said, however, their move to openly support the BMF campaign should not be misconstrued as boycotting non-Muslim products.
"We are not boycotting non-Muslim products, but we are giving priority to buy Muslim and bumiputra products first," he said.
Asyraf claimed Pakatan leaders were making chauvinist and racist statements because they feared that the mammoth gathering this weekend would gain momentum.
"But the term 'ummah' is not exclusive to Muslims. It includes everybody, irrespective of religious and racial background," he said.
"About 1,000 members of Umno's Sabil Squad, and PAS' Unit Amal would be deployed to manage the crowd during the two-day gathering starting this Friday," he said.
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