Patriot Worried We Re On The Highway To The Danger Zone With Racial Politics

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PETALING JAYA: The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has urged all political parties to move away from race-based politics in line with Malaysia's multiracial society.Its president Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji (pic) said this was because racism and racial politicking had now encroached into the danger zone."Constructive change must start before our nation and society descend into permanent destruction," he said in statement on Saturday (March 9).He said in the last few by-elections, politicians made racially charged speeches aimed at inciting hatred just to secure votes, adding that the recent calls for MCA and MIC to leave the Barisan Nasional coalition was also "mischievous and bewildering".Mohamed Arshad pointed out that this indicated that "politics has rolled back into pure racism"."Barisan's founding fathers forged a coalition to strengthen unity among the three major Malayan races. Historically, it was pragmatic then for race-based political parties to be formed."The like-mindedness, understanding and the willingness to strengthen the bond of brotherliness and friendship among the various races that our founding fathers had carved out for this nation is now being threatened by selfish and self-centred politicians, particularly by those who previously held powerful positions in government," he said.Mohamed Arshad added that the notion of Umno and PAS becoming a one-issue partnership that harped on Malay supremacy or Malay-Muslim unity against others also led certain Pakatan Harapan politicians to propagate policies with the Malay agenda.He called on all political leaders to "get back on track" and to think as a Malaysian first."Serve all Malaysian people, and not to exercise parochial politics or show bias towards a particular race," he said.Mohamed Arshad said Malaysian society could not remain parochial in its outlook any longer after six decades of independence."We ought to be more inclusive and symbiotic in facing the challenges of our country as truly one Malaysian people."We have enough of politics of building obstacles instead of building bridges, enough of politics of 'them versus us', and enough of politics of exclusivity and not inclusivity."These are dark political clouds shielding the glorious Malaysian sun."Tolerance and understanding were thrashed and replaced with championing racial hatred. The propagation of race and religion now takes centre stage ,and if this is allowed to fester, there is little hope of ever seeing a united Malaysian society," he said.- Star

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