Kayveas: DAP is racist, not Umno
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 2, 2014

During his party’s annual general assembly two years ago, PPP president M Kayveas acknowledged that the perception of racial discrimination and prejudice has eroded support for the ruling coalition.

However, the former deputy minister has now come out with all guns blazing to defend Umno against DAP’s accusation that the backbone of BN is a racist entity.

On the contrary, Kayveas said, it is DAP that is racist and is using this accusation to pull wool over the eyes of voters.

Kayveas argued that if Umno is racist and prioritised the bumiputera alone, then the people of this nation will not be able to live as a multiracial community.

“Umno has never been racist. Even though it is a component party in BN, its leaders have never voiced out sensitive issues that can threaten our pact,”  Umno Online quotes him as saying.

Therefore, Kayveas considers DAP’s accusation as a political tactic to twist the fact that it is the DAP itself that indulges in racist practices.

“Everyone knows what is happening in the DAP administration in Penang, where it is profitable only to one race, without considering other races who are left behind,” he said.

Furthermore, Kayveas said, the fact that Umno leaders were willing to form governments with other component parties is clear proof that Umno does not have a communal mindset.

“Until today, Umno, together with the (BN) component parties, has brought development and wealth to Malaysia based on the concept of power-sharing, where all have the right to be heard.

“This is because BN realises and knows that Malaysia is a country with various races,” he added.

According to the PPP president, DAP is just looking for excuses to “cover up its racism which is practised quietly” and to seek popularity.

“As the party administering Penang, DAP should focus on efforts to bring development to the state, resolve the problem of traffic congestion, work on public housing, which has become an issue now, and not resort to hurling allegations at Umno and others.

‘Don’t try to be popular’

“Don’t try to be popular with voters with such tactics when the administrative power in its hands is not managed well,” he added.

However, during the PPP’s annual general assembly in 2012, Kayveas spoke about “extreme anxiety and worry” regarding perceived discrimination and prejudice.

“The Malays are worried that the Umno Malays aren’t being fair in distributing the wealth. The Chinese voters feel that they’re marginalised... with (lesser) opportunities in business and education.

“The Indians feel marginalised in all aspects; they feel that they are poor even in their own country,” Kayveas had said.

He also said issues related to the bumiputera status, such as the special privileges, could lead to feelings of discrimination and prejudice among the other communities.

“In every assembly, we have to recite doa (prayers), this is only for Muslims but how about non-Muslims? For them to sit there and listen (to the prayers), they could say, ‘this is prejudice’,” Kayveas had said then.

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