Zaid reminds Anwar Chinese votes propelled him to power

Zaid reminds Anwar Chinese votes propelled him to power


Published: Aug 15, 2025 10:05 AM
Updated: 1:01 PM


While Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh frames his flag protest outside a Penang hardware store as an act of patriotism, Zaid Ibrahim has a different take on the matter.

The former law minister slammed it as the “latest wave of anti-Chinese sentiment from Umno Youth” and a “manufactured outrage”.

He also criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for failing to “stand firm and draw a line”, pointing out that his Pakatan Harapan coalition had ridden on non-Malay votes.

“Instead, he (Anwar) appears paralysed, as if forgetting that Chinese votes carried him into Putrajaya,” he posted on X this morning.

According to Zaid, Anwar appears to be selective about national controversies.

“One stark trait of our prime minister is his reluctance to step into national controversies. He cherry-picks his sound bites on safer ground or not at all. On this (flag protest), he has been an utter disappointment,” he added.

Zaid also took a swipe at the response of “Chinese parties in the government”, pointing out that they continue to endure the repeated insults and provocations from Umno Youth with “stoic silence”.

“Yet, they spring instantly into outrage at PAS’ religious rhetoric. This selective sensitivity betrays a warped sense of priorities. If unity is truly the goal, then surely the poison of racial hostility deserves equal, if not greater, urgency,” he added.

DAP and MCA condemned Akmal’s outburst and his planned protest, but DAP opted not to organise a counter-gathering after police urged all sides to exercise restraint.

In his social media post, Zaid labelled Akmal a “member of the untouchable elite”, grouping him with Sabah politicians tied to a mining scandal and controversial Muslim preachers Zamri Vinoth and Firdaus Wong.

The former minister also lauded Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) and its executive director, Zaid Malek, for defending the store during the protest.

“Fortunately, we have LFL as a lone voice of reason, filling the vacuum left by our prime minister’s silence,” he added.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, the former minister said Akmal’s “patriotism” comes at the expense of common sense, which is a dangerous mix for race relations.

“The flag blunders involving the Education Ministry and even Terengganu Umno Youth show that mistakes happen. But when politicians like Akmal twist negligence into a narrative of racial sabotage, that’s when it becomes dangerous.

“Did anyone ask why a Chinese businessperson would risk his livelihood by deliberately flying the national flag upside down? If anything, Umno Youth has given his store free publicity. This is not how a ‘patriotic’ politician acts. This is how an opportunist behaves,” he added.