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news without borders
DPM: Respect all irrespective of race
by Giam Say Khoon
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Min-
ister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told the
people yesterday to respect each other
because those accorded citizenship are
Malaysians irrespective of whether they
are Malays, Chinese or Indians.
He said the rights of citizens are
safeguarded under the law and Federal
Constitution.
He was commenting on a commen-
tary published in Mingguan Malaysia
on Sunday under the heading “Melayu
dikhianati” (Malays betrayed?) by Awang
Selamat, which questioned whether the
other races had betrayed the sacrifices
of the Malay community.
“Whatever it is, I do hope that there
will be some understanding but I am not
taking sides as Utusan has done a lot of
good work,” he said.
“We need to investigate whether it
(the article) is written by Utusan or sent
in by someone but we are talking about
1Malaysia and that is very important as
we do not want to create any unneces-
sary problems for ourselves.
“We have lived in this state (of
harmony) for the last 52 years and we
treasure the good relationship that we
have developed among the races and
we have to continue to respect it.”
Awang had also quoted former
MIC leader Tun V. Sambanthan, who
asked: “Where can you find a race that
is concerned and polite other than the
Malays? Where can you get a nice politi-
cal treatment as immigrants?”
On Monday, DAP’s Petaling Jaya
Utara MP Tony Pua had called for action
to be taken against the writer because
he said the article was contrary to the
1Malaysia concept envisioned by Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Muhyiddin was also asked for his
comment on a statement by Veteran Sol-
diers of Malaysia Association president
Muhammad Abdul Ghani, who asked for
action to be taken against those who
supported former communist leader
Chin Peng’s request to return.
He said it was a normal reaction
for those who had lost their family
members to the Communist Party of
Malaya (CPM).
“This is human emotion as you do not
expect one whose family members were
murdered by the CPM to welcome the
communist leader with arms wide open,”
he said.
“That was why the cabinet decision
(not to allow for Chin Peng’s return) is
firm. Those who want to argue may
continue their argument.”
He said the decision is final, the case
is closed and the topic should not be
raised again to hurt people’s feelings.
Muhyiddin also disclosed that Higher
Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled
Nordin will brief the cabinet today on
the turning away of 3,000 qualified
applicants by Universiti Sains Malaysia
because of a “technical error”.
He said Khaled will brief the ministers
on the measures to pacify the students
and the government will let the ministry
handle the issue.
“If it was a technical mistake we will
correct it and we will make sure that
those who are qualified will get places
(in the public universities),” he said.
On the status of the People’s Progres-
sive Party (PPP), now under investigation
by the registrar of societies, Muhyiddin
said the registrar will need more time to
study information from the two central
figures in the leadership dispute, party
president Datuk M. Kayveas and Datuk
T. Murugiah.
“I myself cannot determine the
status of the party now, the registrar
will decide,” he said.
PPP’s status became questionable af-
ter an extraordinary meeting, said to have
been attended by 1,760 delegates from
778 branches, “elected” Murugiah the new
president two weeks ago and claimed the
party had been deregistered.
Earlier, in his keynote address at
the 23rd Asia Pacific Roundtable here,
Muhyiddin said the world needs to
fix the severely recurrent economic
problem on a more sustainable basis
and the so-called “Anglo-Saxon model”
of minimum financial regulation and
maximum leverage needs to be made
more robust by better regulation and
more stringent governance.
“This was what the East Asian
economies that suffered from the last
financial crisis did. This is what the
industrialised nations that criticised
and counselled us then must now do,”
he said.
“I hope that as the worst of the finan-
cial crisis begins to recede, we retain the
political will to introduce the necessary
reforms to our domestic financial mar-
theSun | WEDNESDAY JUNE 3 2009
kets. If we abdicate from our responsibil- hostility. peaceful and mature nationhood.
ity, another calamity awaits.” “Conflicting claims over territory and “There is little one country can
On global security, Muhyiddin said resources are best addressed through teach another. We can speak, though,
sustainable security can only be built peaceful negotiation or adjudication,” of our experience, should it be of some
by working with one another and not he said. relevance,” he said.
against each other. “A culture of peace that abhors and “The Malaysian experience (in dealing
He said defence alliances and secu- rejects wanton war must be cultivated.” with the CPM) could be of some relevance
rity arrangements must be increasingly On insurgency, militancy and terror- to countering insurgencies and terrorism
inclusive, promoting common security ism, he said each country must find its not only in this region but in other parts
and not exclusively generating mutual own way and plot its own path towards of the world, too.”
New era in M’sia-China relations
Muhyiddin and
Agriculture and
Agro-based
Industry Minister BEIJING: Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak Hussein, and premier stories.
Datuk Noh Razak said the China of today Zhou Enlai established diplo- “Our future is filled with hope
Omar pose with is vastly different from the one matic relations in Beijing, “our and opportunity. But the chal-
Titian Gemilang that his father saw in 1974. friendship has strengthened”. lenges we face are real and there
motivation “The millions of bicycles and “As the Chinese proverb goes, is much to do. Of course, it is still
programme Mao suits have been replaced ‘When people are true friends, true that a journey of a thousand
participants at with cars that travel on super even shared water tastes sweet’, miles begins with a single step.
Universiti Malaya highways. China is increasingly and I have great hope for our “And, in the pursuit of national
yesterday. being courted by the developed future with one another. economic and social develop-
West and not shunned as previ- “I am confident that our ment, some countries have fur-
ously,” the prime minister wrote already strong relationship will ther to go than others, and some
in an article published in China strengthen and deepen, herald- will want to find their own path.
Daily in conjunction with his ing a new era in bilateral relations “Those nations with the
official visit. with shared objectives in the spirit ambition to emerge from this eco-
Najib, who arrived yesterday of ancient ties, current friendship nomic crisis stronger need to take
evening to begin his four-day and future partnership.” urgent measures now. I believe
visit, said that 35 years after He described China and China and Malaysia are taking the
his father, the late Tun Abdul Malaysia as economic success necessary steps.” – Bernama
with the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM)
briefs signed on Dec 2, 1989. Its deputy minister,
Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, said 442 ex-
CPM members applied to return to Malaysia
Malaysia condemns but only 406 attended the interviews and ful-
filled the conditions to be allowed to return.
North Korea’s nuke test “Chin Peng had submitted his application
JEJU ISLAND (South Korea): Malaysia expressed a day before the application period closed
deep concern yesterday on the latest develop- but he did not attend the interview fixed for
ments in the Korean peninsula and condemned Oct 31, 1992,” he said. “After that he never
the recent nuclear test by North Korea. Prime submitted a new application, (and) instead
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said the used the court to determine the status of his
test represented a serious setback to efforts to citizenship.” – Bernama
keep the region and the world free from nuclear
weapons. In a statement at the second session of BN will not use Friday
the Asean-Republic of Korea (ROK) Commemora-
tive Summit here, he said the latest developments prayers to campaign
were a clear violation of Pyongyang’s obligations KUALA KRAI: Barisan Nasional will not use
under the relevant UN Security Council resolution Friday sermons as a campaign strategy to win
and decisions. – Bernama the people’s confidence in the coalition, Umno
information chief Ahmad Maslan said yesterday.
‘Govt did not renege on “BN will conduct its campaign by meeting the
people face-to-face either at their houses, cof-
peace deal with CPM’ feeshops or by the roadside to deliver the cor-
PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry yesterday rect message,” he said. He said Friday sermons
refuted claims by some quarters that the gov- are a platform to deliver the reminder from
ernment had reneged on its peace agreement Allah for Muslims. – Bernama