OPPOSITION leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has given assurance that people of all races will be treated fairly if Perikatan Nasional (PN) wins the six state polls this weekend.
Hamzah, who is also the PN secretary-general, said this in response to the viral video of Anwar’s interaction with a female student at a dialogue session at the Penang Matriculation College who wanted to know when the government was going to do away with the racial quota system in favour of a meritocracy system for entrance into higher learning institutions.
The student also drew on the example that her non-Bumiputera peers who scored more As than their Bumiputera counterparts had initially failed to gain entry into matriculation colleges and some had only managed to secure a spot after appealing.
Anwar had replied that there was a social contract that needed to be looked into and that meritocracy was not always ideal as there were many underprivileged people in the mix but insisted that applications from all high achievers will be considered for a seat.
Anwar, who is also the PKR president, also said that if the quota system was lifted immediately, they would lose all the elections, and that the girl would suffer more in a country run by PAS and Bersatu.
Hamzah, who had condemned the manner in which Anwar responded, said the girl need not be scared or worried if PN wins.
“If PN wins, we will make sure that people of all races are treated fairly. Our struggle is a fair one. It is a Malay-majority country but we are not into breaking up the people,” he reportedly said during his campaign speech at Kampung Labu Lanjut in Sepang, Selangor on Monday (Aug 7) night.
The Larut MP was there at the event to support Sepang Bersatu chief Datuk Suhaimi Mohd Ghazali who will be running for the Sungai Pelek state seat.
When quizzed about PN’s Selangor menteri besar candidate, a coy Hamzah said they were discussing the matter and would make an announcement in the near future.
“There are a few names (being considered). All of them are qualified but it is important that they win first. I do not want to announce it now. What if the candidate loses?” he was reported as saying. – Aug 7, 2023
Main pic credit: Facebook/Hamzah Zainudin
