UMNO is using Racism to gain Malay support

Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the president of PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) said that the largest component party of BN (Barisan Nasional), Umno no longer represent the aspirations of the people and is no longer relevant which is why they are using racism to keep the loyalty of the Malay community. She said “After March 2008, Umno realised the multi-racial party model which we bring is wanted by the public. Umno has rejected the importance of a multi-racial party for nearly a decade and said that it was would not be accepted by the people especially the Malay community.”

Speaking at the PKR’s National Congress, she added that “However, they themselves have lost touch and are separated from the real aspirations of the Malays because they are preoccupied with the riches from fraud. The 2008 general election has sent a clear signal that the political future of this country is multi-racial political parties. Umno’s failure to address Malay issues has forced it to attack PKR. After March 2008, the party’s (Umno) attack is focused to destroy our credibility with Malay voters. They falsely accuse us as being anti-Malay and many other allegations to tarnish our name in the eyes of the Malay community. The future of Malaysia is multi-racialism which builds on the unique strengths of each race, so do not be shy to convince the rakyat that we are the party of the future! Umno’s racial polarisation is dangerous to the country. Malaysia urgently needs a political movement to value the contribution and involvement of all races. Unfortunately, Umno’s answer to this new political culture is to make seditious and racist sentiments to continue to divide the people and increase racial polarisation. In fact, the concept of 1 Malaysia or concept related to it is hypocrisy,”

She also said “Umno was using the New Economic Policy (NEP) to instil fear in the Malay community. Umno is telling the people that we are allegedly willing to forfeit the interests of the Malays when we said that the NEP should be abolished. We are confident that NEP has failed to achieve its objectives because many of the implementations have deviated from the policy and spirit of the NEP. NEP is just used by Umno to conceal their corruption. The Malays and the Bumiputeras have long been deceived by Umno. They want the Malays to rely solely on the government alone because Umno is aware that when the Malays begin to believe in their capabilities then they will no longer require the support of Umno politicians,”