Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today dismissed rumours that seven BN MPs are vacating their seats.

The BN chairperson said this was just a rumour as the coalition’s MPs are tied down after signing a cooperation pact.

“Most importantly, if they want to make any political move they need to wait until the end of the term. They should also think of the mandate. In addition, appointment letters issued to them were to represent the party, not themselves.

“They have signed the agreement and made the pledge before me,” he said.

He said this at the closing of the Royal Malaysia Police Madani Ride convoy at the Selangor Police Contingent Headquarters in Shah Alam today.

Also present were Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Hazani Ghazali, and Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.

On the Pelangai state seat now vacant, Zahid said he discussed the matter with Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

The Pelangai seat was declared vacant following the death of its incumbent Johari Harun in a plane crash on Guthrie Highway in Bandar Elmina, Shah Alam, on Aug 17.

The Election Commission in a statement today informed that a special meeting would be held this Thursday to discuss the by-election for the seat.  BERNAMA

Malay nationalists who blame others for their own failures

A recent call by a Muslim coalition of NGOs to exclude DAP from the government is the same as the senile call by Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Malaysia belongs to Malay people.

Their bigoted agenda is to unify the ummah (Muslim solidarity) for the benefit of religion, the Malay race and the nation by excluding DAP from being part of the unity government.

These NGOs are still shackled with a mentality of blaming others and not accepting responsibility for their failures.

Malays dominate in all aspects of Malaysian life, yet these groups fear a party which has every right to be part of the government based on democratic principles. They ask Muslim political parties to be open-minded but yet they are close-minded.

East Malaysians abhor such bigoted views and reject the notion Malaysia belongs to Malays. They ignore the history of how Malaysia was formed and the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

The Malay nationalists do not want to admit that the cause of their current demise is due to corrupt leaders who have helmed the nation for several decades.

Despite affirmative action to put the Malays on par with others, they have failed miserably and resorted to blaming others for their failures. DAP has always been the Malay bogeyman and an easy target.

Instead of blaming DAP, these groups should learn from DAP how to win election after election. Unity and solidarity have helped DAP to succeed, while Malay parties have become fragmented and broken.

Corruption and bad leadership have taken their toll. The major unifying force in the northern states is conservative Islam, not concern for economic development, education, or people’s welfare.

Since the 2013 elections, we have seen four successive governments led by Malay majority cabinet members, yet the failures of these leaders are heaped on non-Malays.

When will be the day when the Malays own up to their own mistakes and take the reins by the horn and say with honesty, we are to blame? Until then, the Malays will continue to be viewed as being incapable of contributing to the development of a strong and vibrant Malaysia.

Malaysia is clearly a divided nation despite a unity government in place. The country is becoming sectarian in outlook as politics has pitted Malays against Malays and Islam against Islamists. Up north we have states controlled by Muslim conservatives, while in the east of Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak are united against the injustice of 60 years of being left behind in national development.

East Malaysians are not conceding to the “Malay state” claim without a fight to protect their freedom and harmonious society. A group of Borneo activists have replied to the Muslim Coalition by stating that there is no race and religion in Parliament, only lawmakers, and the rule of law remains the basis of the constitution in Malaysia; it is colour-blind, secular, and enshrines freedom of conscience, speech, association, and assembly. They are prepared to exit from Malaysia.

Every Malay-led government is now subject to challenges like never before. Every day, there are rumours that people are switching camps and fears that the government will fall. It seems the Malays are not satisfied with anything at all.

The Madani government which is supposed to be a reformist government is now like a PAS government giving more powers to Jakim and making the same mistakes as Umno in the battle of the holier than thou attitude.

Even the advice of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form a unity government has been ignored. Like Humpty Dumpty in the nursery rhyme, the Malays had a bad fall, and all the king’s horses and the kings’ men cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.

Corruption has brought the Malay-controlled government down. Former prime minister Najib has been jailed for corruption. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is right to tackle corruption as his number one priority. Malaysia is billions in debt, and much of the money has leaked out into the hands of a selected few. We pay for naval ships by the billions and have yet to see one delivered, weakening the country’s defences. DAP has nothing to do with these issues.

The bigoted Malay groups need to progress beyond race and religion. Many Malays who have ventured from our shores have done well in a competitive world. Living in Malaysia with racial and religious politics is like having an albatross around your neck. – WRITER – JOE SAMAD – FMT

– Bernama / FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

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