Monday, December 2, 2013

Pakatan: To progress, tow a moderate line


| November 30, 2013

Malaysia could progress effectively if Umno and BN take a moderate line in their approach when handling issues.

PETALING JAYA: Three opposition law makers hit out at Umno and BN, last night, for slowing down and halting national progress through their manipulation of the various issues in order to safeguard their hegemony and political survival.

Speaking at a Pakatan Rakyat open forum, Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua described that the political landscape in Malaysia would have been different if the government in charge had managed to handle issues moderately.

Rafizi, known for his critical views of Umno explained that Malaysia is currently facing a leadership crisis, citing the current mismanagement of the country’s financial program as an example .

“We are suffering a leadership crisis and adding to it we are also having problems in our financial program,”

“In parliament, they (government) were saying that our economy is stable but then the Prime Minister was caught saying that we are going bankrupt and that is why we need the GST,”

“Who should we listen to,” he asked.

“We are a rich country not a poor country but the way the government is handling our economy is not going to help us reach good standards,”

“They are even making fun of themselves in the parliament,” he said.

Rafizi added that the country should moved away from the race based political perspective that has been used by Umno for decades and runs throughout its (Umno) propaganda machine.

A policy equal for all

This view was supported by Tony who interpreted an example of equal citizenship and equal economic plans for every Malaysian regardless of creed and belief.

“We need a policy according to the needs, not a policy based on racial backgrounds,”

“I am not asking to abolish the rights of the Malays but an equal distribution of opportunity for each and everyone of us. Why do we need a double standards policy to determine who we are?”

“The Bumiputera policy does not bring any good for the Bumiputeras but only benefits certain classes or the ruling elite,” he shrugged.

Dr Mujahid meanwhile branded Umno and Barisan Nasional as a weak regime as both political entities shifted into narrow minded political views with the adding of racial slurs to stir up the political landscape within the country’s multiethnicity .

He refered back to the historical kingdom of Malacca where traders from all over the world were free to trade and perform their own beliefs without objection from the ruler.

Mujahid known for his progressive Islamic views took another shot at Umno for their failing to handle the issue of the word Allah and contributed to the increased religious tension between the Muslims and the Christians.

“Only a weak regime would use racial and religious issue to stir things up,”

“There was no racial problem during the kingdom of Malacca and why it did not happen (racial problems) is because Umno was not there ,” he said to a burst of laughter from the audience.

“God created all of us and thus we should cherish one another that is what we call ‘kepelbagaian’ (Diversity)”

“It took them so long to handle the Allah conundrum in the peninsula. Why can’t they just come out with a 10 point solution like what they did in Sabah and Sarawak?,”

“Why create such chaos,” said Mujahid.

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