Umno should remain a Malay party: Ku Li

> Says issue is not about opening membership to other races

PETALING JAYA: Umno was created as a Malay party and it should remain as such, party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (pix) said yesterday.

The former finance minister said the issue facing Umno now is not about whether to open its membership to other races, as the party was born a Malay one.

“It was born like that. Umno was formed by a gathering of Malay organisations in 1946 because of the threat to the sovereignty of the country,” he told a press conference yesterday, voicing disagreement with suggestions that Umno’s membership be opened to other races.

“We can add one or two non-Malays as members, like some parties have done, and label it as multiracial. But the face is still not multiracial. I can say I’m multiracial because I used to have a non-Malay wife, but I’m not multiracial in that sense.”

The Gua Musang MP also said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not a changed man despite what many think.

“He was like that 23 years ago, I think he is like that now.

“He’s no longer a dictator? Just see the line-up of the party that was born only a few years ago but heads the government in Kedah, Perak, Johor and elsewhere and see the number of seats they have in Cabinet.”

Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) has only 13 parliamentary seats, but its party leaders hold four key Cabinet positions, unlike other parties that won more seats in the May 9 polls.

PPBM lawmakers are the mentris besar in Kedah, Perak and Johor.

“He is the same but wearing a different shirt, the old shirt has worn out,” said Tengku Razaleigh.