‘Malays will lose their rights if DAP wins’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malays and the Bumiputeras may lose their rights and privileges if the country falls into the hands of DAP.

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak said if Malaysia fell into the hands of DAP, which was fighting for “extreme liberalism and dangerous secularism”, Umno’s efforts to advocate and defend Malay and Bumiputera rights and privileges would go to waste.

The agencies that upheld the rights and privileges of the Malays and Bumiputeras included Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), the Federal Land Development Authority, Rubber Industries Smallholders Development Authority, Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority and the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit.

“The same goes to Universiti Teknologi Mara, a higher learning institution of 60 years that will not be able to maintain its philosophy.

“Therefore, if the Malays and Bumiputeras can understand the contents of this speech, their worst nightmare will happen.”

Najib said he believed if the Malays and Bumiputeras feared that such things would take place, they would surely hold on to Umno as the only party that could safeguard and fight for the coming generations.

Najib, who is also prime minister, said choosing the country’s leadership should not be taken lightly.

“The Malays, Bumiputeras and Malaysians, as a whole, have come to a critical crossroads in the nation’s political scene, where in the 14th General Election, they will determine who leads the country.

“This is not something that we can take lightly, as I am concerned that there may be some Malays and Bumiputeras who are complacent in this,” he said in his speech at the general assembly here yesterday.

Najib said the Barisan Nasional government led by Umno cared for the people’s well-being, and had worked hard to meet their needs.

He said the government had a special allocation of RM200 for smallholders, disbursed for three months during the monsoon season.

“Almost 60,000 fishermen are given special allowances of between RM200 and RM300 monthly. For padi farmers, the government has allocated a RM1.3 billion in subsidies for seedlings and fertilisers.”

He said these were among the efforts in putting people first.

“It is because of these that we hope the people will continue choosing us.”

Najib said DAP’s constitution did not have Islam as the official religion, neither did it speak of the Malay royal institution nor efforts to safeguard the rights of Malays and Bumiputeras.

He assured non-Muslims that as long as Umno was the backbone of the government, the leadership would continue to act fairly for all races and religions.