GOVERNMENT leaders and the public are being urged to refrain from condemning Perikatan Nasional (PN) following controversial statements made by former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who questioned the loyalty of Indian and Chinese Malaysians.
Bersatu associate wing information chief R Sri Sanjeevan emphasised that the former Langkawi MP is not part of the PN coalition and therefore his statements should not be attributed to the coalition.
“I ask government leaders and the public to stop condemning PN for Dr Mahathir’s statement. He is not a representative of PN. The public should not be confused. Dr Mahathir only supports PN becoming the government. That does not mean that all his statements reflect PN’s position,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.
In a recent interview with Indian TV channel Thanthi TV, Dr Mahathir suggested that Indian Malaysians are not entirely loyal to the country as they still identify strongly with their country of origin. He asserted that identifying as Malay is a prerequisite for claiming the country as one’s own.
“Indian Malaysians do not speak Malay as their home language, they speak Tamil (instead),” he said when the host asked if one can remain loyal to the country while committed to their roots.
Moreover, Sanjeevan clarified that Dr Mahathir’s advisory role in the four PN-led state governments (Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perlis) is solely due to his extensive experience as a prime minister for 22 years. He noted that this appointment does not imply alignment with Dr Mahathir’s personal views.
“We need to understand that (his position as an adviser) is because he is a former prime minister and has experience and knowledge about the economy of a state. It has nothing to do with his stance. Moreover, he does not participate in any PN component party, even though he has publicly left Pejuang,” added Sanjeevan.
“Bersatu’s associate wing will never support any party making statements challenging the unity between the races in this country.”
Furthermore, the controversial remarks by Dr Mahathir have been rejected by various parties, including the PN component party Gerakan. – Jan 18, 2023
