Stern action will be taken against those stoking racism — Hamzah

BAGAN SERAI: The government will take stern action against any party engaging in racial provocation, including through language exploitation, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

He said this was because such actions clearly violated the national constitution.

“Do not do anything following your feelings to lift any group. This country is still a sovereign nation, we took it from the colonisers for the common good, not for the benefit of any race,” he told reporters after officiating the Larut Division of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) assembly at Bukit Merah Lake Town Resort here, yesterday.

Hamzah, who is also the member of Parliament for Larut, commented on the actions of certain parties who pasted Chinese writing stickers on three road signs in Kuching, Sarawak, which were viraled on social media recently.

Meanwhile, Hamzah, who is also Bersatu secretary-general, said so far the simultaneous elections in all divisions of the party to elect the Bersatu Supreme Leadership Council (MPT) yesterday went smoothly.

He said the election results involving the posts of chairman, deputy chairman, three vicepresidents and 20 MPT members are expected to be known at 10 pm tonight.

Apart from that, he said the Bersatu general assembly scheduled for Sept 26 is expected to be postponed due to the date coinciding with the Sabah State Election.

Hamzah also asked all Bersatu members to give 100 per cent support to the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate, Mohd Zaidi Aziz in the Slim state seat byelection on Aug 29.

The Slim by-election will see a three-cornered fight involving Mohd Zaidi and two Independent candidates, namely lawyer Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi and and former teacher, S. Santharasekaran. — Bernama