Commenting on the DAP, MIC publicity and communication chief S Vell Paari said the opposition party appointed a Malay and Indian as deputy chief ministers despite being accused of being a Chinese chauvinist outfit.
“Look at their success in Sarawak. It’s their multiracial approach that helped them in the state election,” he told FMT.
Vell Paari was commenting on MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s statement that Malaysians should stop identifying themselves to the racial group they belong to and accept the multi-racial reality of the country.
The MIC leader also said that it was not fair to criticise DAP for wanting to field more Malay candidates in the next general election.
On May 22, Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that DAP planned to field more Malay candidates, especially in Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Perak.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also defence minister, said this was to accommodate DAP’s move to install their own party member as the mentri besar of those states.
Following this, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin called upon the Malays to be wary of DAP’s plan, claiming that it was a ploy to shore up Malay support.
‘The youth are different’
However, Vell Paari said this was not the first time DAP would be fielding Malay candidates.
“Besides, is it a crime for DAP to field more Malay candidates? Despite being labelled as a chauvinist party, a lot of Malays are warming up to DAP and its ideology. So where does the problem lie?” he asked.
The MIC leader also commended PAS for opening its doors to more non-Muslims by setting up a non-Muslim wing.
“Even the so-called extremist party has embraced its non-Muslims brothers knowing multi-racialim is the way forward in Malaysia,” he said.
Vell Paari, who is also MIC central working committee member, reminded politicians that voters now, especially the younger generation, were living in a globalised world and do not view things along racial lines.
“When I was 17 or 18, I was catching fish in the drain and racing bicycles. Youths of the same age now talk about national issues with friends from all over the globe via Facebook and Twitter,” he said.
He added that politicians could no longer fish for votes, especially among youths, by merely giving them goodies during polls.
“Youngsters now are intellectual. You must approach them with wisdom, not hate policies,” he said.
[Source: FMT]
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