Malay dignity not under threat, says Pak Lah
Malay pride is not under threat, said former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
"I don't think so... Nothing has led to (Malay pride being challenged) as far as I know.
"Maybe some feel that way on the left or right side. As far as I know, it has not caused any fight," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
He said this when asked about the red shirt anti-Bersih 4 rally yesterday.
The organisers behind Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu felt that the yellow shirt demonstration had insulted the Malays.
While Abdullah does not feel that Malay pride is under threat, he did express concern about race relations.
"(There are) those who express things that create fear... We must make every effort to stop it," he said.
However, the former premier said the situation has not deteriorated since he left office.
Organisers must contain trouble-makers
Abdullah, whose government cracked down on the first Bersih rally, now says there is no harm in rallying or wearing yellow or red shirts in itself.
But he said there must be no fighting, and that rally organisers must contain the trouble-makers.
Meanwhile on a different matter, Abdullah said there was no such thing as racism in Islam.
"There isn't," he said briefly.
Abdullah said this when asked about Umno supreme council member Annuar Musa's remarks yesterday that he was racist Islamically.
However Abdullah avoided commenting on another remark by Annuar ( photo ) that Islam allows for race struggle.
"I didn't follow (his speech)," he said.
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