Former deputy Penang chief minister P. Ramasamy (pic) has pinned the blame on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the divide-and-rule policy in Malaysia. – Alif Omar/Scoop pic, January 14, 2024
Dr Mahathir the prime architect of racial, religious division, says Ramasamy
Former Penang DCM slams ‘narrow-minded Malay nationalist’ ex-PM
14 January, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – Former deputy Penang chief minister P. Ramasamy has questioned Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s assertions on the disloyalty of Malaysian Indians to the country, claiming that the former prime minister was the one who first implemented divisive policies in the country.
Labelling Dr Mahathir a “narrow-minded Malay nationalist”, Ramasamy said the two-time ex-prime minister was the “prime architect” of divisive racial and religious policies, which “kept ethnic groups apart”.
“On one hand, he (Dr Mahathir) bemoans the lack of integration or assimilation, but on the other hand, he forgets that the divide-and-rule policy in the country was his making.
“It (is) unfortunate that the cancer of divisive racial and religious politics could not be reversed by other leaders who came after (Dr Mahathir),” Ramasamy, who is also the United for the Rights of Malaysians Party interim council president, said in a statement today.
Slamming Dr Mahathir for his “chauvinistic” comments, Ramasamy said the issue was not how non-Malays were “less loyal” than the Malays, but how “apartheid” policies of divide and rule instituted by Dr Mahathir had prevented minority communities from identifying with the nation’s needs.
“Starting from (Dr Mahathir’s) administration, the fate of non-Malays in the country was the fate of second-class citizens.
“They are discriminated (against) because they are not Malays, yet they are expected to behave like first-class citizens on the basis of rights and privileges.”
Ramasamy said while Malaysian Indians were indeed loyal to the country despite their apparent “subordination” to the Malays, it was politicians like Dr Mahathir who continuously questioned and ridiculed the loyalty of the minority communities here.
“Since the rights and special privileges of the Malays are defined in relation to the political and cultural subordination of the non-Malays, what kind of equality and justice is there in the country?
“If Indians are constantly reminded of their inferior political status in respect to the Malay/Bumiputera community, who then is responsible for preventing the complete participation of the non-Malays in the mainstream Malaysian community?”
In an interview with Chennai-based Thanthi TV recently, Dr Mahathir had not only referred to Malaysian Indians and Chinese as immigrants, but also stated that they should not call themselves Malaysians unless they identified as Malays.
He also said since Malaysian Indians did not speak Malay as their mother tongue, nor did they practise Malay culture, customs or traditions, they should not refer to Malaysia as their home country.
He added that his “problem” was when “immigrants” (Malaysian Indians and Chinese) claimed the country as their own while professing their own cultures and customs. – January 14, 2024
Dr Mahathir the prime architect of racial, religious division, says Ramasamy
Former Penang DCM slams ‘narrow-minded Malay nationalist’ ex-PM
14 January, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – Former deputy Penang chief minister P. Ramasamy has questioned Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s assertions on the disloyalty of Malaysian Indians to the country, claiming that the former prime minister was the one who first implemented divisive policies in the country.
Labelling Dr Mahathir a “narrow-minded Malay nationalist”, Ramasamy said the two-time ex-prime minister was the “prime architect” of divisive racial and religious policies, which “kept ethnic groups apart”.
“On one hand, he (Dr Mahathir) bemoans the lack of integration or assimilation, but on the other hand, he forgets that the divide-and-rule policy in the country was his making.
“It (is) unfortunate that the cancer of divisive racial and religious politics could not be reversed by other leaders who came after (Dr Mahathir),” Ramasamy, who is also the United for the Rights of Malaysians Party interim council president, said in a statement today.
Slamming Dr Mahathir for his “chauvinistic” comments, Ramasamy said the issue was not how non-Malays were “less loyal” than the Malays, but how “apartheid” policies of divide and rule instituted by Dr Mahathir had prevented minority communities from identifying with the nation’s needs.
“Starting from (Dr Mahathir’s) administration, the fate of non-Malays in the country was the fate of second-class citizens.
“They are discriminated (against) because they are not Malays, yet they are expected to behave like first-class citizens on the basis of rights and privileges.”
Ramasamy said while Malaysian Indians were indeed loyal to the country despite their apparent “subordination” to the Malays, it was politicians like Dr Mahathir who continuously questioned and ridiculed the loyalty of the minority communities here.
“Since the rights and special privileges of the Malays are defined in relation to the political and cultural subordination of the non-Malays, what kind of equality and justice is there in the country?
“If Indians are constantly reminded of their inferior political status in respect to the Malay/Bumiputera community, who then is responsible for preventing the complete participation of the non-Malays in the mainstream Malaysian community?”
In an interview with Chennai-based Thanthi TV recently, Dr Mahathir had not only referred to Malaysian Indians and Chinese as immigrants, but also stated that they should not call themselves Malaysians unless they identified as Malays.
He also said since Malaysian Indians did not speak Malay as their mother tongue, nor did they practise Malay culture, customs or traditions, they should not refer to Malaysia as their home country.
He added that his “problem” was when “immigrants” (Malaysian Indians and Chinese) claimed the country as their own while professing their own cultures and customs. – January 14, 2024
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