Kit Siang mocks Najib over Malay unity plea to PAS
By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — The DAP’s Lim Kit Siang challenged what he feels is the absurdity of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s call for Malay and Muslim unity, and mocked the prime minister by asking today if Umno would give the nod to Chinese unity talks or similar discourse for other communities as well.
“Is he saying it is okay for Chinese unity talks? Indian, Kadazan, Iban unity talks?” the DAP parliamentary leader questioned.
The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) man was commenting on Najib’s plea yesterday for PAS to revive the idea of a unity government with Umno for the sake of Malay and Muslim unity.
On Monday, PR leaders rejected Umno’s unity government proposal, and proclaimed all issues surrounding the fiasco which brought the fledgling opposition coalition on the brink of collapse resolved.
But the Umno president, in asking PAS not to reject a proposal which would be beneficial to Malay Muslims, had yesterday dismissed the notion that a unity government between the two Malay parties would fly in the face of his 1 Malaysia concept despite concern from non-Muslim groups, including political parties in his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Lim slammed this as ridiculous.
He said a Malay unity agenda would definitely defeat 1 Malaysia which aims to unite all Malaysians.
“We should have Malaysian unity talks instead,” the Ipoh Timur MP stressed, saying that PR continues to be open to discuss pressing national issues in the interest of the country.
He also challenged non-Malay leaders of BN component parties to declare their stand clearly on the matter.
“Do Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon agree that Malay unity talks are not against 1 Malaysia? Why are they so silent on this matter?” he asked.
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Kit Siang: Unity talk IS against 1Malaysia
By Tarani Palani | Jun 25, 09 12:09pm
Malaysiakini
DAP’s parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang today said he did not understand how a Malay unity talk proposed between Umno and PAS was not against the concept of 1Malaysia.
He was referring to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who rejected talks that the proposed unity government between Islamic based PAS and Malay party Umno would go against his 1Malaysia concept.
“The 1Malaysia concept is beyond politics and non-Muslims need not worry if there is indeed a unity government,” he had said yesterday.
Najib’s 1Malaysia concept which he introduced when he assumed power in March is deemed to see Malaysians as one.
Commenting on Najib’s remarks, Lim said he was caught by surprise with the prime minister’s stand that a unity government between Umno and PAS would not go against the 1Malaysia concept.
He asked if the prime minister would then approve other races from opposing political divides to hold their own unity talks.
“Is Najib saying it is alright with Chinese unity talks or Indian unity talks…Iban unity talks?” he asked at a press conference in Parliament today.
Why the silence?
Lim also asked why the other BN component parties were silent on the proposed unity government between Umno and PAS.
“I want to ask MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SAPP. Do you agree that Malay unity talks are not antithetical of the concept of 1Malaysia?
“Why are they so silent on the matter?” he questioned
Lim said that he was prepared to talk about issues that were of national interest, like the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal and the judiciary.
He added that he has voiced this intention in Parliament before. He asked if Najib was willing to hold talks to discuss such matters.
The issue of unity talks leading to the formation of a unity government between Umno and PAS surfaced when the idea was sounded out by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang early this month. Hadi was also backed by his deputy Nasharuddin Mat Isa.
However several other PAS leaders and Pakatan Rakyat leaders were against such talks. Last week Pakatan rejected holding unity talks with Umno.