Racial politics must be abolished

Racial politics must be abolished

Abraham Lincoln, in his earlier days, was moved by the sight of slaves being sold in the market,and he remarked "If I get a chance to hit this thing,I'll hit it hard".Yes,he went on to become the 16th.president of America and as pledged he abolished slavery,against the wishes of the white majority and masters of the land.By carrying out the most unpopular decision,which even caused him his life, he become one of the greatest politicians of all times.

Not many political leaders today would want to take a stand,though may be right but unpopular, for fear of losing their support.In Malaysia politics is primarily based on race and over the last 50 years only ethnic champions have ascended the throne of power.Many true Malaysians at heart,who went against that to champion all the races, soon disappeared into oblivion to become just another name in history.

Anwar in vowing to dismantle race politics is taking the biggest gamble of his political career.We salute his courage and his determination to steer the country in the direction where every citizen,regardless of his/her ethnicity will be accorded equal and fair treatment.It may cost him his political career but it should not worry him too much as with his perseverance, one day as his party's manifesto goes,"A new dawn for Malaysia" will definitely materialize.

We all yearn for the day when all citizens regardless of race and religion can play together.eat together,stay together and even pray together without hate and suspicion for one another but share a common brotherhood as Malaysians.

We must give Anwar all the support he needs in his struggles to rid the nation of racial politics that is threatening to destroy the very foundation on which it has been built.We have the means now,our vote.Come March 8,let us all rise up courageously to display our patriotism and say "yes" to Anwar in his endeavors to free our nation from the clutches of racial politics so that our dreams for a united Malaysia will become a reality in the near future.We must destroy racial politics before it destroys us.

Dr.Chris Anthony

Anwar vows to dismantle racial politics

Malaysiakini Feb 26, 08 7:19pm

Opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to end race-based discrimination policies in Malaysia, making it one of the major planks of his party's manifesto ahead of March 8 polls.

Anwar, who was deputy prime minister until being sacked and jailed in 1998, said long-running policies favouring majority Malays had only benefited cronies of the ruling Umno.

"The New Economic Policy has been abused to enrich the family of Umno leaders and their cronies," said Anwar who is campaigning for the PKR formally led by his wife.

"If you really want to deal with the issue of poverty, why can't we just say we have an affirmative action policy helping the poor and the marginalised. It should not be racially based."

Malaysia has pursued an affirmative action program for Malays and indigenous groups known as bumiputeras since the 1970s to close a wealth gap with the minority Chinese community.

However, it has been criticised for failing to pull a large number of Muslim Malays out of poverty, and of ignoring the minority ethnic Indian community, which is also disadvantaged.

Battling rising inflation

The manifesto entitled 'A New Dawn for Malaysia', centred on battling rising inflation, which has triggered public anger and rare public protests as the prices of food and fuel edge higher.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said the government cannot afford to continue spending RM43.4 billion annually to subsidise essential items.

Anwar said Abdullah was "in denial" over the state of the economy.

"PKR promises to lower the price of petrol ... as well as manage the prices of basic goods to ensure a consistent supply. Tolls and tariffs will also no longer be raised," he said.

PKR has forged a loose alliance with two other opposition parties who have agreed to stand just one candidate against the government in each constituency, avoiding damaging three-cornered contests.

The opposition hopes that gripes over inflation, rising crime rates and mounting ethnic tensions will enable it to reduce the government's thumping majority below two-thirds for the first time in history.