Racial Issues Only A Problem Among Politicians Says Tajuddin

---

PARLIAMENT | There is no racial tension among the rakyat - it is politicians who play up such issues for their own political mileage, said Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak)
"Actually, racial unity is not a problem at the kampung-level. The relationship between Malays, Chinese and Indians are okay
"Where is the problem? It is with us politicians. When we want to get support from one race, we use this issue
"This is our problem, we have it on this side, they have it on that side, I do not blame the other side only," Tajuddin said in the Dewan Rakyat today, during the committee stage of the Budget 2019 debate
He was responding to Noor Azmi Ghazali (Independent-Bagan Serai), who was speaking about empowering the Rukun Tetangga initiative to foster unity among communities
Tajuddin said everyone lives in harmony at the ground level, comparing the relationship among the races to the relationship between siblings
"We can sleep at the house of non-Muslims or of Muslims. We can shop at Chinese stores and the Chinese can shop at our stores
"I have not heard of an issue in the kampung where there are fights over racial issues
"In which kampung has this ever happened? No such thing," he said
Tajuddin had previously been a vocal critic of the government's proposal to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Icerd), saying that Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah was prepared to "sell his own people politically"
During the Himpunan Melayu Bangkit (Malays Arise Rally) in Pasir Salak in September, Tajuddin had also declared Malays have "lost power" after the 14th General Election (GE14)
"Today, we have lost power, the Malays have lost power. More than half of the government today is controlled by the non-Malays and non-Muslims," he had said at that time
Currently, 17 out of the 28 federal ministers are Malay-Muslims while two more are non-Malay bumiputera. The remaining nine ministers are non-bumiputera
Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian) also commented during Noor Azmi's speech that the issues with unity in the country was inherited from when the country was colonised
He said that the segregation of the races dating back to British colonial era has caused a lack of integration at the ground level
He suggested a new mechanism be implemented so that integration can occur better at the ground level, without the influence of the former colonisers
At the same time, he also questioned the government's plan to repeal the Sedition Act, which he believes can maintain national unity
"I am very worried that abolishing this act will encourage certain quarters to take advantage of current racial tensions," he said. - Mkini

---