By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 27: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) is calling for the Ministry of National Unity under the federal unity government to be scrapped over its alleged failure to effectively promote and ensure better racial and religious harmony among Malaysia’s diverse population.
PBK president Voon Lee Shan opined the funds allocated to the ministry could be more beneficially utilised to boost the economy, alleviate poverty in rural areas, and support underprivileged school children.
“The ministry, led by Dato Sri Aaron Ago Dagang, could not until now address the tensions fueled by certain individuals and groups who kept on fanning hatred, disunity and disharmony among people of different religions and ethnicities in the country,” he said in a statement today.
Citing vernacular school issues, furore over ‘bak kut teh’ being listed as a heritage food, and the ‘Allah’ socks issue at KK Mart chain stores, Voon asserted these matters have been blown out of proportion by some politicians and activists.
From calls to boycott KK Mart to violent acts such as the hurling of Molotov cocktails at a KK Mart outlet in Perak, he said that these actions have caused people to live in fear.
“Moreover, there are many people who see these attacks by few politicians and activists are aimed at wedging divisions between non-Muslim businessmen and the Muslim-Malay majority.
“Is the ministry functioning effectively to tackle unity problems? So far, the Unity Minister is hardly seen and heard of his views on how to tackle these problems. What is his blueprint for unity?” he questioned.
Voon cautioned that if left unchecked, such actions could precipitate the collapse of both the economy and civil society, adding that this reminded him of the May 13, 1969 racial riots.
“We should respect each other’s language, culture, religion and religious practices. In all things that affect our society and that can cause tension, we should show some tolerance against each other,” he stressed.
Asserting that the tensions caused by religion and race politics in Peninsular Malaysia presently would definitely cause much uneasiness to the people of Sarawak and Sabah, Voon also opined that such circumstances could expedite calls for independence from the federation among Sarawakians and Sabahans.
“People of Sarawak and Sabah are more vocal in voicing their rights, including pursuing independence and freedom from Malaya.
“PBK is maintaining our mission to see Sarawak exit from Malaysia by peaceful and legal means like what Singapore did in 1965 if PBK forms the government,” he said. —DayakDaily
