STAR leader: No one takes Dr Mahathir seriously despite venomous racial remarks

KOTA KINABALU: A Parti Solidariti Tanahairku (Sabah Star) leader says Tun Mahathir Mohammad was hitting below the belt when making a racial remark against Indians and Chinese who he accused of not being completely loyal to the country because they maintained their own respective racial identity.

Datuk Kenny Chua, the party’s Vice President who is a sinoKadazan, said in a statement Wednesday that however such remarks coming from the twotime former prime minister no longer surprises anyone.

“He was really hitting below the belt. But then again, he is famous for making venomous and controversial remarks that touch on highly sensitive matters like race.

“For this, I don’t think anyone in their right mind would take him seriously,” he said.

He pointed out that Mahathir could accuse Sabahans and Sarawakians the same for maintaining and celebrating their own indigenous identity, mother tongue including the way they speak Bahasa Malaysia.

“Many Sabahans speak our own native mother tongues at home. If not, at least we speak Bahasa Malaysia the Sabah-style and we’re proud of it. Here in Sabah, we have CLCs (community learning centres) that promote the mother tongue to preserve the indigenous languages. We also celebrate and practice our respective adat. But no one can label us as being disloyal to the country,” he said.

In an interview with a Chennaibased Indian satellite television channel Thanthi TV recently, Mahathir accused Malaysian Indians and Chinese as not being completely loyal to the country as they still wanted to identify

He was really hitting below the belt. But then again, he is famous for making venomous and controversial remarks that touch on highly sensitive matters like race.

Datuk Kenny Chua

themselves with their respective countries of origin.

He also stood by his previous remarks that Malaysia belonged to the people who founded the country.

Chua argued that if Mahathir meant that the people who founded the country were the Malays, then he was inaccurate.

“The people who founded Malaysia included the indigenous and the sinos in Sabah and Sarawak. Malaysia would not have existed without both regions. Otherwise, it would only have been Malaya,” he said.

According to Chua, Mahathir is known to like to play the racial card.

“He caused irreparable damages to Sabah by playing the same tactic. Sabahans will never forget that. Fortunately, under the GRS Sabah government, we’re finding back our power that lies in unity in diversity in its purest meaning and practice. We have become allergic to individuals who like to play the race and religion card.

“We’re rebuilding Sabah better and stronger under the current administration. No racial or religious sentiments can rock us this time,” he said.