The BN and their “foreign” phantom and dubious voters are the real
issues facing Malaysian democracy, accused Penang Chief Minister Lim
Guan Eng in a statement, refuting a federal minister’s claim that the
bumiputera agenda will be dead should Pakatan Rakyat take power.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop (right)
equated his claim to what happened in 1511 when Alfonso de Albuquerque
of Portugal conquered the Malay kingdom of Malacca, and foreigners ruled
over locals cementing the grip of European powers in the region.
“This is a wrong comparison as the Portuguese were a foreign power and the 13th general elections will be decided by Malaysians.
“It is Pakatan that should be laying this allegation against BN and the
Election Commission due to the presence of phantom and dubious voters,
including foreigners as registered voters, who could decisive play a
role in the next general election,” lambasted the Bagan MP.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general was responding to the minister’s
statement reported by Bernama yesterday that “Malaysia will go back in
time to 1511, when the bumiputera agenda did not exist, should BN lose
the 13th general election”.
Speaking to reporters in Tasik Gelugor, Penang the BN leader said this
was because the opposition pact did not have the capability to pursue
the bumiputera agenda, he claimed, alleging the DAP-led state government
was sidelining the Malays.
Lim (left)
criticised the minister for resorting to “the tactics of race-baiting
and fear-mongering” which he said is the same as the modus operandi of
the rightwing Malay NGO Perkasa.
Lim said that by playing the “ketuanan Melayu” race card, Nor Mohamed
and Umno are sending a strong signal that they do not care about
non-Malay voters, adding that they are going against the inclusive
policies of 1Malaysia mooted by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
He also challenged Nor Mohamed to state how Malays in Penang have been
neglected under Pakatan rule, extolling how it has instead increased
welfare and social development allocations which benefitted many Malays.
Lim also mentioned that more than 70 percent of state government
contracts are still being won by bumiputra-owned companies through open
tenders.
In the run-up to the 13th general election, the BN has been consistently
criticising states ruled by Pakatan, especially belittling their
contribution to the Malays and bumiputeras.
However, allegations of foreigners and phantom voters in the electoral roll is a Pakatan staple in its anti-BN campaign.
Political analysts posited that brickbats flying between both sides will
soon increase and the atmosphere will continue to heat up as election
fever infects both sides.
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