Letter to Editor
DATUK Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz’s recent intention behind his ‘racist’ remark is nothing more than to create friction between Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) component parties.
The UMNO Supreme Council member has obliterated the effort by Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to forge national unity among Malaysians ahead of the six state elections.
The Malaysian ambassador to the US had said DAP is the party that represents the non-Malays in the country today – not MCA nor MIC.
At first, MCA and MIC have decided to sit out of the upcoming state elections but remain supportive of Barisan Nasional (chiefly UMNO) candidates in the Aug 12’s six state polls.
Eventually, Anwar who is also the PH chairman has requested MIC to render its fullest support to PH candidates.
Following a key meeting with the PM, MIC announced its decision to support PH in the upcoming state elections with MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran Sanasee having ordered the party’s election machinery nationwide to go on the ground and campaign for PH in the six state elections.
Nazri’s untimely intervention
The shift in MIC’s support comes as a sign of respect to the PM who had personally engaged in talks with the party leadership.
MIC has made its mark in Penang with a campaign visit by its deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan having ignited interest and excitement among the Indians on the importance of voting at the polls.
In fact, the jubilant crowd gave Saravanan a magnificent welcome at last night’s (Aug 7) ceramah series in mainland Penang which is touted as being ‘under siege’ by the Perikatan Nasional (PN)-PAS green wave phenomenon.
However, Nazri has now thrown a spanner into MIC’s goodwill effort with is demoralising claim that DAP is the party that represents the non-Malays in the country today – not MCA nor MIC.
The former Padang Rengas MP has also suggested that UMNO and BN have to accept the fact about working with DAP to attract Malay support.
Why is Nazri so envious or fearful of MCA and MIC? Is it because both parties are grassroots political organisations with solid party structure?
His somehow ‘racist’ statement clearly shows a lack of “mutual respect” from UMNO within the PH-BN alliance to the PM, MCA and MIC. Moreover, his action is tantamount to breaking the foundation of mutual respect in the PH-BN coalition.
Based on his ‘big mouthed’ statement, MCA and MIC members and supporters surely wouldn’t want to vote UMNO candidates.
With UMNO having already suffered numerous casualties in the general election, the situation is precarious as we don’t think the country can afford to slide further with the irresponsible statement of UMNO leaders like Nazri adding fuel to the fire.
Nazri is surely a political liability to UMNO. – Aug 8, 2023
MV Anand
Sungai Petani
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main pic credit: Embassy of Malaysia, Washington, D.C.
