KOTA BARU: Former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has hit back at three Umno supreme council members for asking him to apologise over remarks that he made about Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy).
Stressing that he would never apologise, Zaid said it was because he loved his Malay race that he recommended open competition be allowed to ensure the race could compete with others in a globalised age.
“I am not surprised by the reaction of some Umno leaders especially since they have an ongoing party election,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“I am a village boy from a poor family, not an aristocrat or royalty. I want to see the Malays succeed in economy and education.”
Zaid said he was not questioning the special rights of Malays as enshrined in the Constitution.
He said the new model that he recommended was based on openness to ensure young Malays closed ranks and cooperated not only with other races in the country but also foreigners.
He named Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Syed Albar, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassin and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib as the three supreme council members.
Zaid had pointed out recently that the Malay supremacy concept had failed and distracted from the real issues confronting the country.
He said on Monday that he hoped Malays could differentiate between leaders who thought of their interests from those who only used the name of Malays for political mileage.
He said the concept of Malay supremacy had a negative element that was racist and implied that they only wanted to become masters without knowing how to struggle or be responsible.
He added it was not a clear reflection of the race and such an image weakened them.
IAN McINTYRE
Star Online
04/10/08
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