Don't play racial card??? YAU MOU GAU..CHOR!!!

KUALA LUMPUR: Opportunistic leaders who stoke the “fires of disunity” have no place in Barisan Nasional, warned Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

The Umno Youth chief said Malaysia could not be moulded by the narrow-mindedness, chauvinism and extremism of those who play the racial card in order to emerge as champions of their race.

“We know who they are, where they are and what they are saying. We will be fearless in confronting these leaders.

“We will not compromise our country's future,” he told the Youth assembly yesterday.

Hishammuddin, who also heads Barisan Nasional Youth, said he really appreciated the support and trust given to him by the Youth wings of the component parties.

Even though at times the strength and unity among them were tested, trust, understanding and sincerity always prevailed because the existing ties had been built over a long time.

He also reminded Umno Youth not to engage in the “game of the politics of hate.”

The movement, he said, was currently in a very strong position and it could no longer merely play the role of a spokesman or pressure group.

“Now is not the time to seek recognition or go against the flow. What we need is dynamic leadership and a readiness to spearhead renewal,” he said.

With this, he added, came responsibility.

Voicing concerns over how certain groups were taking advantage of the new openness and transparency of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration, he believed that some were testing the Government's tolerance.

“Race and religious issues are being discussed without considering rationally the impact they will have on race relations in the country.

“What should have been constructive criticism has turned out to be vindictive, a venting of anger and hatred, malice and envy,” he said.

He warned the Article 11 group to steer clear of Article 11 and Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution and not to question the rights of Malays and the position of Islam, as this could stir up Malay and Muslim emotions.

Matters relating to Islam should be decided by the Syariah Court, not the civil court, he said.

Umno Youth, he added, wanted the Government to continue to reject the setting up of the Inter-Faith Commission.

Hishammuddin also said the Malay Agenda spelt out under the Ninth Malaysia Plan was a national mission and not a zero-sum game which would only benefit the Malays and cause the non-Malays to lose out.

“The non-Malays should be brave enough to admit that they have benefited either directly or indirectly through many projects carried out during the duration of the National Economic Policy,” he said.

He also labelled as absurd the controversial Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute report, which claimed that Malay corporate equity could have reached 45%.

In an obvious reference to Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Hishammuddin said Umno Youth was really angry over his baseless remarks on Malaysia and its policies.

“The irresponsible comments discrediting our policies are actually made to cover up their own weaknesses,” he said.

He cited a report in an issue of the Far Eastern Economic Review last month which stated that there was blatant discrimination against the non-Chinese in Singapore, even in the field of education. According to the article, he said, from 1966 to 2005 only 14 or 6.2% of the recipients of the President's Scholarship were non-Chinese.

“It is clear that the discrimination he claims exists in this country is much more serious in his country.

“We would like to tell that leader to be careful when making statements. It is better that he looks at his own country instead of meddling in ours,” he said.