BN leaders tear apart Ibrahim Ali’s ‘siege mentality’
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have flayed Datuk Ibrahim Ali for suggesting that the 1 Malaysia concept did not accord equality for all races in the country.
The Perkasa president had heaped more pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Sunday to explain his 1 Malaysia concept, already decried by critics as a hollow slogan amid escalating racial tension.
Ibrahim claimed that the concept had been “twisted” from its original meaning, stating that 1 Malaysia had to be based on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which uphold special rights for Bumiputeras.
“Ibrahim Ali does not understand the meaning of national unity. Only those who choose to not understand the meaning of 1 Malaysia and purposely try to create a situation out of nothing would be unclear of the concept. I don’t think the prime minister has to explain anything to Ibrahim Ali,” said BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that there was “nothing in 1 Malaysia” which challenged the Federal Constitution, and that the concept upholds whatever has been set out and guaranteed.
“There is no confusion of 1 Malaysia. There is nothing in the 1 Malaysia concept which challenges the Constitution. 1 Malaysia seeks to protect the rights of all Malaysians, upholding whatever that is enshrined in the Constitution,” said Khairy.
The Rembau MP said that Ibrahim’s actions were “symptomatic” of a “siege mentality” and lambasted the Perkasa president for creating a false sense of insecurity among Malaysians.
“Why must you overreact and scare people into thinking of something that is not even there?” said Khairy.
Ibrahim had also challenged Najib to submit a parliamentary resolution to remove Article 153 from the Federal Constitution if his 1 Malaysia concept was indeed about racial equality.
Khairy’s remarks were shared by MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu.
“If Ibrahim Ali does not understand what 1 Malaysia means, he should go and read it up himself. The Prime Minister has never made any attempt to rewrite the constitution. No one is challenging the provisions of the Federal Constitution.
“1 Malaysia would only serve to make our country more competitive,” said Gan.
However Gan explained that 1 Malaysia did not necessarily mean “absolute unity”, rather more towards helping those who needed assistance the most, regardless of race.
He claimed that Ibrahim was trying to “attract attention” especially with today being Merdeka day.
“Ibrahim Ali is hoping to desperately attract unwanted attention with his narrow-minded politics, especially since Merdeka Day is around the corner. What he is doing does not help anyone.
“I suggest that he studies the constitution, from its history to the present-day application to fully understand how 1 Malaysia fits in,” said Gan.
Umno Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed advised the Pasir Mas MP too face the “realities” of the current economic and political situation in Malaysia.
“He (Ibrahim) is trying to preserve the status quo. Many efforts were taken by the government to help the Malays, but the current situation does not allow for the Bumi agenda to be carried out as before.
“I think Ibrahim Ali should face the realities of the economic and political situation. In the past, Malays were disadvantaged...but now many have been elevated to a middle-class category.
“He wants quotas, but quotas are no longer relevant,” said Nur Jazlan.
The Umno man said that Ibrahim was being “extremist”, adding that many Malays no longer identified with what Ibrahim was preaching.
“1 Malaysia is based on the premise of political stability, where everyone feels that they are equal,” Nur Jazlan told The Malaysian Insider.
Malay rights groups like Perkasa as well as the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) have been increasingly vocal in their racial rhetoric in arguing for maintaining the pro-Bumiputera New Economic Policy (NEP).
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also thrown his weight behind Perkasa, warning of a revolution if the economic disparities between the Bumiputeras and the non-Bumiputeras were not dealt with.
Dr Mahathir has maintained that the NEP needed to be retained indefinitely in order for Bumiputeras to be successful.
Analysts like Dr Azmi Sharom have argued that Ibrahim would only remain relevant as long as the Najib administration “entertained” his “erratic” arguments.
“He is only a shadow government if Umno and BN let him become so. If you react to him, he will try to impose his ideas on people.
“Najib should just ignore him,” said Azmi.
The Universiti Malaya law lecturer said that Ibrahim and his ilk had no “bargaining power” and therefore there was no reason for the government to entertain his requests.
“Who is Ibrahim Ali? What does Perkasa have over Umno? If they are not an authentic political party, then who are they going to support? They don’t have any bargaining power here, they have nothing, no political power at all.
“If Najib responds, it will show that he is weak, and fundamentally supports a racist organisation,” said Azmi.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have flayed Datuk Ibrahim Ali for suggesting that the 1 Malaysia concept did not accord equality for all races in the country.
The Perkasa president had heaped more pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Sunday to explain his 1 Malaysia concept, already decried by critics as a hollow slogan amid escalating racial tension.
Ibrahim claimed that the concept had been “twisted” from its original meaning, stating that 1 Malaysia had to be based on Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which uphold special rights for Bumiputeras.
“Ibrahim Ali does not understand the meaning of national unity. Only those who choose to not understand the meaning of 1 Malaysia and purposely try to create a situation out of nothing would be unclear of the concept. I don’t think the prime minister has to explain anything to Ibrahim Ali,” said BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that there was “nothing in 1 Malaysia” which challenged the Federal Constitution, and that the concept upholds whatever has been set out and guaranteed.
“There is no confusion of 1 Malaysia. There is nothing in the 1 Malaysia concept which challenges the Constitution. 1 Malaysia seeks to protect the rights of all Malaysians, upholding whatever that is enshrined in the Constitution,” said Khairy.
The Rembau MP said that Ibrahim’s actions were “symptomatic” of a “siege mentality” and lambasted the Perkasa president for creating a false sense of insecurity among Malaysians.
“Why must you overreact and scare people into thinking of something that is not even there?” said Khairy.
Ibrahim had also challenged Najib to submit a parliamentary resolution to remove Article 153 from the Federal Constitution if his 1 Malaysia concept was indeed about racial equality.
Khairy’s remarks were shared by MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu.
“If Ibrahim Ali does not understand what 1 Malaysia means, he should go and read it up himself. The Prime Minister has never made any attempt to rewrite the constitution. No one is challenging the provisions of the Federal Constitution.
“1 Malaysia would only serve to make our country more competitive,” said Gan.
However Gan explained that 1 Malaysia did not necessarily mean “absolute unity”, rather more towards helping those who needed assistance the most, regardless of race.
He claimed that Ibrahim was trying to “attract attention” especially with today being Merdeka day.
“Ibrahim Ali is hoping to desperately attract unwanted attention with his narrow-minded politics, especially since Merdeka Day is around the corner. What he is doing does not help anyone.
“I suggest that he studies the constitution, from its history to the present-day application to fully understand how 1 Malaysia fits in,” said Gan.
Umno Pulai MP Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed advised the Pasir Mas MP too face the “realities” of the current economic and political situation in Malaysia.
“He (Ibrahim) is trying to preserve the status quo. Many efforts were taken by the government to help the Malays, but the current situation does not allow for the Bumi agenda to be carried out as before.
“I think Ibrahim Ali should face the realities of the economic and political situation. In the past, Malays were disadvantaged...but now many have been elevated to a middle-class category.
“He wants quotas, but quotas are no longer relevant,” said Nur Jazlan.
The Umno man said that Ibrahim was being “extremist”, adding that many Malays no longer identified with what Ibrahim was preaching.
“1 Malaysia is based on the premise of political stability, where everyone feels that they are equal,” Nur Jazlan told The Malaysian Insider.
Malay rights groups like Perkasa as well as the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) have been increasingly vocal in their racial rhetoric in arguing for maintaining the pro-Bumiputera New Economic Policy (NEP).
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also thrown his weight behind Perkasa, warning of a revolution if the economic disparities between the Bumiputeras and the non-Bumiputeras were not dealt with.
Dr Mahathir has maintained that the NEP needed to be retained indefinitely in order for Bumiputeras to be successful.
Analysts like Dr Azmi Sharom have argued that Ibrahim would only remain relevant as long as the Najib administration “entertained” his “erratic” arguments.
“He is only a shadow government if Umno and BN let him become so. If you react to him, he will try to impose his ideas on people.
“Najib should just ignore him,” said Azmi.
The Universiti Malaya law lecturer said that Ibrahim and his ilk had no “bargaining power” and therefore there was no reason for the government to entertain his requests.
“Who is Ibrahim Ali? What does Perkasa have over Umno? If they are not an authentic political party, then who are they going to support? They don’t have any bargaining power here, they have nothing, no political power at all.
“If Najib responds, it will show that he is weak, and fundamentally supports a racist organisation,” said Azmi.
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