KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants Malaysians to break away from being in an "ethnic prison" and to think as one.At a press conference after chairing his first cabinet meeting as prime minister yesterday, he gave this example: "If there is a road accident, the first thing we tend to do is ask if the victim is Malay, Chinese or Indian. That is the Malaysian mentality. If someone has died, does it matter if the person is Malay, Chinese or Indian? Tell me, does it matter?"
He said most Malaysians were still concerned about their own community. He was responding to a question about the unhappiness regarding the representation of the Indian community in the cabinet, with one minister and two deputy ministers.
He also spoke on the recent release of Internal Security Act detainees, two of whom were V. Ganapatirau and R. Kengadharan.
"We released two Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) detainees. But, at the same time, we also released 11 others (non-Indians). The MIC should also thank us for the release of the 11 others."
"But we are still operating in an ethnic prison and we should have got over it over the years."
Najib said the concept of 1Malaysia was based on mutual respect.
"I do not want to be too rigid, but as long as we respect each other and go beyond tolerating each other and trusting each other."
He also clarified that the concept of 1Malaysia was different from the "Malaysian Malaysia" concept claimed by the opposition.
"It is not the same. Under the 1Malaysia concept, we stand, we think and act as Malaysians and as one people. And we take actions that are based on every ethnic group in Malaysia."
He gave several examples: If a ministry organises a public housing programme for the poor, it should not forget the people in Sabah and Sarawak living in longhouses. "They should also rebuild longhouses"
Or if a ministry was looking at the poverty issue, "it should be looked at across the board, in urban, rural, estate, kampung baru and Orang Asli settlements".
Break away from ethnic prison, urges Najib
Posted by : Azrul on
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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