‘Bersatu will fight for bumi rights’

PETALING JAYA: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will champion bumiputra rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and Malays need not worry, said party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The issue will be the main agenda at the party’s second Annual General Meeting (AGM) from Dec 28 to 30, said Muhyiddin, who is also Home Minister.

“We are race-based but we are not racist. Our party’s struggle is to fight for the fate of the sidelined bumiputra.

“We are committed to the Federal Constitution with regards to the rights of bumiputra, the Malay rulers and the Malay language,” Muhyiddin told reporters during a briefing on the AGM.

Bersatu leaders, he said, realise that Malays felt their rights were not being upheld despite voting for Pakatan Harapan in the last general election.

He said the issue had nothing to do with Saturday’s rally against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd).

“We recognise in the last election we won not only with huge support from the Chinese and Indians, but also from the Malays who turned over and gave Pakatan victory,” said Muhyiddin.

However, he said Malaysians need not doubt Bersatu’s commitment to the Constitution.

“Do not worry, we are here as part of Pakatan, Bersatu is here to fight for your cause but we must also be fair and be just to other Malaysians, not just Malays,” he said.

More than 2,000 delegates from party branches nationwide are expected to attend the AGM in Putrajaya.

We are race-based but we are not racist. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin