Malaysian unity talks more of a priority
Leong Kar YenPublished: Jan 8, 2001 9:40 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Talks on Malaysian unity, which involves all racial groups, is more important than focusing exclusively on Malay unity, said an opposition leader today.
"The time has come to send out the clear and unmistakable message that Malaysian unity must take a higher importance and priority than any ethnic unity, whether Malay unity, Chinese unity, Indian unity, Kadazan unity or Iban unity," said DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang.
The issue of Malay unity gained much media highlight in recent weeks when Umno initiated an invitation to opposition parties PAS and Keadilan to a meeting among the leaders.
Many of the opposition leaders though have given the proposed talks a lukewarm response, echoing Lim's call for talks on Malaysian unity and not just on Malay unity.
"Umno has initiated Malay unity on the ground that the Malays are not united solely because it has lost Malay majority support in the 1999 general elections.
"This is a most specious argument for Umno is equating 'Malay unity' with a united, or at least majority, Malay support for Umno," Lim said.
National resilience
Priority, Lim added, should also be given to talks on Malaysian unity in order to strengthen "national resilience" to face the looming economic crisis.
"For this reason, special care must be taken to ensure that the proposed Malay unity talks ... do not repudiate the Bangsa Malaysia concept and cause irreparable setback to the 43-year-old multi-racial nation building concept," Lim said.
He added that the government should initiate "launching judicial reforms instead of Malay unity talks" to counter the setback caused by the bailouts of Tajudin Ramli and Halim Saad.
Tajudin, former chairman of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) sold his 29 percent control of the ailing national carrier back to the Malaysian government for a total of RM1.792 billion or at RM8 per share when the market price was about RM3.60 per share.
"The time has come to send out the clear and unmistakable message that Malaysian unity must take a higher importance and priority than any ethnic unity, whether Malay unity, Chinese unity, Indian unity, Kadazan unity or Iban unity," said DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang.
The issue of Malay unity gained much media highlight in recent weeks when Umno initiated an invitation to opposition parties PAS and Keadilan to a meeting among the leaders.
Many of the opposition leaders though have given the proposed talks a lukewarm response, echoing Lim's call for talks on Malaysian unity and not just on Malay unity.
"Umno has initiated Malay unity on the ground that the Malays are not united solely because it has lost Malay majority support in the 1999 general elections.
"This is a most specious argument for Umno is equating 'Malay unity' with a united, or at least majority, Malay support for Umno," Lim said.
National resilience
Priority, Lim added, should also be given to talks on Malaysian unity in order to strengthen "national resilience" to face the looming economic crisis.
"For this reason, special care must be taken to ensure that the proposed Malay unity talks ... do not repudiate the Bangsa Malaysia concept and cause irreparable setback to the 43-year-old multi-racial nation building concept," Lim said.
He added that the government should initiate "launching judicial reforms instead of Malay unity talks" to counter the setback caused by the bailouts of Tajudin Ramli and Halim Saad.
Tajudin, former chairman of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) sold his 29 percent control of the ailing national carrier back to the Malaysian government for a total of RM1.792 billion or at RM8 per share when the market price was about RM3.60 per share.
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