Duped by DAP? You advised me to join a decade ago, Zairil Khir Johari tells Tengku Razaleigh
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Penang DAP vice-chairman Zairil Khir Johari reminded Tengku Razaleigh that he joined the DAP based on the Kelantan prince’s advice a decade ago. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin |
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 ― Penang DAP vice-chairman Zairil Khir Johari stood up for his party today amid a persistent campaign to racialise it as anti-Malay, saying he found it to be open to diversity and provided him the platform to fight for social economic justice for all regardless of their ethnicity.
The Tanjung Bunga assemblyman took special aim at Umno veteran Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, noting the latter’s recent remarks advising Malay youths not to be deceived into joining DAP purportedly because it is predominantly Chinese and has an agenda to control “Tanah Melayu”.
“It is precisely the willingness of the party to embrace diversity, rather than manipulate it for narrow parochial gains, that has provided a platform for me and many others like myself ― young idealistic Malaysians who yearn for socio-economic justice and a country that fairly provides for every one of its citizens,” the DAP assistant national publicity secretary said in a statement.
Zairil, the son of Umno statesman the late Tan Sri Khir Johari, reminded Tengku Razaleigh that he joined the DAP based on the Kelantan prince’s advice a decade ago.
The Tanjung Bunga assemblyman took special aim at Umno veteran Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, noting the latter’s recent remarks advising Malay youths not to be deceived into joining DAP purportedly because it is predominantly Chinese and has an agenda to control “Tanah Melayu”.
“It is precisely the willingness of the party to embrace diversity, rather than manipulate it for narrow parochial gains, that has provided a platform for me and many others like myself ― young idealistic Malaysians who yearn for socio-economic justice and a country that fairly provides for every one of its citizens,” the DAP assistant national publicity secretary said in a statement.
Zairil, the son of Umno statesman the late Tan Sri Khir Johari, reminded Tengku Razaleigh that he joined the DAP based on the Kelantan prince’s advice a decade ago.
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Khir Johari |
He recalled the unexpected advice given by Tengku Razaleigh whom he affectionately called Ku Li that Umno was no longer the same party as his father’s generation and that a “young man with big ideas would likely find it very difficult to break through the hierarchy”.
“In the end, he suggested something that was unexpected. ‘Perhaps you should consider joining Opposition parties as they are more prepared to give young people a chance’,” Zairil claimed of Tengku Razaleigh.
Zairil said he had personally witnessed DAP’s evolution towards inclusivity of Malays and youths in leadership positions.
“From having no elected Malay representative for 18 years from 1995, DAP produced two Malay MPs and one state assemblyman in the 2013 general election.
“This result was tripled in 2018 with nine Malay DAP representatives being elected (one MP and eight assemblymen, four of whom were appointed state executive councillors). More interestingly, six out of the nine were under the age of 40,” the 37-year-old Penang lawmaker said.
He added that in addition to the influx of new young Malay leaders in the party, DAP also broke new ground by fielding indigenous candidates in both Sabah and Sarawak who went on to win in the 2018 general election.
Zairil said Tengku Razaleigh was right in telling him that he would find greater acceptance in DAP.
“In the end, he suggested something that was unexpected. ‘Perhaps you should consider joining Opposition parties as they are more prepared to give young people a chance’,” Zairil claimed of Tengku Razaleigh.
Zairil said he had personally witnessed DAP’s evolution towards inclusivity of Malays and youths in leadership positions.
“From having no elected Malay representative for 18 years from 1995, DAP produced two Malay MPs and one state assemblyman in the 2013 general election.
“This result was tripled in 2018 with nine Malay DAP representatives being elected (one MP and eight assemblymen, four of whom were appointed state executive councillors). More interestingly, six out of the nine were under the age of 40,” the 37-year-old Penang lawmaker said.
He added that in addition to the influx of new young Malay leaders in the party, DAP also broke new ground by fielding indigenous candidates in both Sabah and Sarawak who went on to win in the 2018 general election.
Zairil said Tengku Razaleigh was right in telling him that he would find greater acceptance in DAP.
“While I appreciate Ku Li’s advice, and indeed have benefited from it in the past, I think it would not be amiss for me to remind him that this is Malaysia, and there is no other place for Malaysians to go,” he said.
Tengku Razaleigh was yesterday reported by The Malaysian Insight to have advised Malay youths not to be deceived into joining DAP and “let themselves be used by the party in order to control this country”.
Tengku Razaleigh was yesterday reported by The Malaysian Insight to have advised Malay youths not to be deceived into joining DAP and “let themselves be used by the party in order to control this country”.
Ku Li the Nearly Man. Nearly did this, nearly did that but never accomplished anything after 5 decades in politics.
ReplyDeleteLong time MP for Gua Musang Kelantan but his home state still among the poorest, and still needing 30 years to solve its water problems, and Menteri Air saying Kelantan has to depend on rain water. His logic being since Kelantan is undeveloped the rainwater is clean and can be used in homes.
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Minister of Environment & Water Urges Kelantan Residents To Use Rainwater For Daily Use
September 19, 2020 By Jamie
For those of us living in Selangor and Klang Valley, disruption of water supply seems to be an annual event. Just recently, 7 areas in Klang Valley had its water supply disrupted without any prior warning due to river pollution caused by irresponsible industrialists.
However, this prompted some to compare the water supply conditions in Selangor with that of Kelantan. The latter have had clean water supply issues in certain areas up until today.
Well, yesterday the Minister of Environment and Water, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man suggested a temporary solution should water disruption hit Kelantan:
Store and use rain water.
As reported by Malaysiakini, the Minister, who is also Member of Parliament for Kubang Kerian in Kelantan said that the state could utilise rain water because it is not heavily industrialised. Hence, rain water won’t be acidified, polluted and can safely be used.
He was quoted of telling PAS mouthpiece harakahdaily,
“Kelantan can take advantage of its rain water because there are not much industrialised areas and air pollution.”
Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who is also the Deputy President of PAS said this when talking to the media at the opening ceremony of a community water treatment project in his constituency.
UNQUOTE
Ku Li belongs to the school of old politics that Syed Saddiq wants to move away from.
ReplyDeleteBut no need to form multi-racial youth party Muda from scratch lah. It will take decades to get established, with no guarantee for success. By that time Syed will no longer be young....ha ha ha...
Just join DAP, they already have so many young and experienced youth leaders under the age of 40. Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MPs, ADUNs, EXCOs etc.
Most Malays that I have discussed this matter on don't consider Zairil as a "real" Malay.
ReplyDeletewho is kuli?
ReplyDeleteSo there r the elites, melayu palsu, the ummah, ketuanan doggies, Nons & orang asal in bolihland in that order of preferences!
ReplyDeleteAny surprises wrt what the melayu think?