Please be inclusive

MANY Malaysians were shocked and deeply disappointed by the discussions that took place at a recent convention.

A former education officer had reportedly urged the government to “return the exclusive right of government scholarships to bumiputra students”.

A cleric, in his comments, had reportedly tried to erase the patriotic contributions and sacrifices made by non-Malays in the armed forces and police in defence of our country.

Its most welcome that MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai met 90 NGOs and asserted that “it is important that all are given equal opportunities to attain a high level of education”.

It is also laudable that the secular group Bebas has called on Malaysians to reject the demands of this convention and pointed “to the real need to focus on the future, where we do not need to depend on racial discrimination and bigotry to succeed”.

Many other loyal individuals and organisations have also bravely spoken up. They include the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism Christianity, Sikhism, Taoism and MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.

The government is expected to state its firm stand against these remarks that are against historical facts and national unity. It should also take appropriate action under the law. Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam Chairman Asli Centre for Public Policy Studies

(NOTE: Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan had stated that non-Malay officers and men had fought gallantly alongside their Malay brothers-in-arms since pre-independent years.)