All Malaysians should be sensitive to the feelings of one another including UMNO.
“We must be sensitive of certain things... which is just to remind us of the bad experience of the past, of the dark days of May 13,” said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek when contacted.
He told The Malaysian Insider that Gertak could proceed with its rally using whatever topic they pleased so long as it was not divisive in nature.
“Any non-governmental organisation can hold its gathering. We have no problem with that. We were only concerned with the programme related to the May 13 tragedy.
“They can proceed with their gathering but it must not be divisive,” he said.
MCA publicity bureau deputy chairman Loh Seng Kok went a step further to say that any such gathering that reignited the old wounds of May 13 should be “permanently decimated and never even considered to begin with”.
He also slammed former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s involvement in the rally, saying that his participation was tantamount to instigating a racist campaign.
“I am perplexed that Tun Dr Mahathir seems to have lost his direction in opting for a change in politics. His recent behaviour achieves nothing other than boosting the rise of racialism in the country,” said Loh in a statement.
MIC secretary-general S. Murugessan told The Malaysian Insider that the party was happy with the decision to postpone the gathering but would continue to condemn the gathering if Gertak proceeded with its “Melayu Bangkit (Malays Arise)” theme.
“We still condemn it because the subject matter is still the same. If at all they want to educate and discuss the issues of May 13, they should speak on unity with all the races and not just one race.
“However for now, we will just wait and see in what context they plan to proceed with this rally,” he said.
Gerakan deputy president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said that the party was “glad” that the gathering had been put off following intervention by the government.
“The cancellation is good news. A gathering to commemorate May 13 should involve all races working as one single entity to forge closer unity for all Malaysians,” Chang said in a statement today.
He added that everyone should work closely together to help realize the Prime Minister’s 1 Malaysia concept.
“We have freedom of expression in the country but there is a limit. Once freedom is abused, we should stop it,” Chang added.
DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said the entire gathering should have been cancelled instead of just postponed as it was an “offensive and unacceptable” idea.
“We condemn the very notion of this ‘Melayu Bangkit’ concept of May 13 and a rally to commemorate the blackest day in the country.
“It goes against the concept of nation building and of 1 Malaysia. It just shows there are people in this country who are totally insensitive to what this country is about,” he said.
He agreed that it was good for the public to be aware of the tragedy of May 13 but it should be via a more dispassionate and rational examination of the true causes that led to the bloodshed in 1969.
“There is a need to find the cause which has been hidden away. In 1971, I asked for a royal commission of inquiry for this — not to find fault but to find out what really went wrong,” he said.
PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub agreed with Lim but said the rally could go on if it changed its context.
“They can speak on May 13 but in a different manner... perhaps they can address topics related to the New Economic Model but they should not raise sensitivities.
“We have gone past 50 years of independence... we do not want a similar occurrence in the future,” he said.
According to Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, the May 13 rally was organised by Gertak along with government agency Terengganu Integrity Institute.
It was initially scheduled for tomorrow at the Gong Badak indoor statement and was expected to draw over 10,000 individuals from 45 Malay NGOs.
Gertak chief Razali Idris claimed that the rally was to unite the Malays by reminding them of the May 13 tragedy and not to stir up racial sentiments.
It was, however, postponed today following disapproval by the country’s leadership.
Razali told The Malaysian Insider that it would be up to Dr Mahathir to select a new date for the gathering.
MI
13/05/10
“We must be sensitive of certain things... which is just to remind us of the bad experience of the past, of the dark days of May 13,” said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek when contacted.
He told The Malaysian Insider that Gertak could proceed with its rally using whatever topic they pleased so long as it was not divisive in nature.
“Any non-governmental organisation can hold its gathering. We have no problem with that. We were only concerned with the programme related to the May 13 tragedy.
“They can proceed with their gathering but it must not be divisive,” he said.
MCA publicity bureau deputy chairman Loh Seng Kok went a step further to say that any such gathering that reignited the old wounds of May 13 should be “permanently decimated and never even considered to begin with”.
He also slammed former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s involvement in the rally, saying that his participation was tantamount to instigating a racist campaign.
“I am perplexed that Tun Dr Mahathir seems to have lost his direction in opting for a change in politics. His recent behaviour achieves nothing other than boosting the rise of racialism in the country,” said Loh in a statement.
MIC secretary-general S. Murugessan told The Malaysian Insider that the party was happy with the decision to postpone the gathering but would continue to condemn the gathering if Gertak proceeded with its “Melayu Bangkit (Malays Arise)” theme.
“We still condemn it because the subject matter is still the same. If at all they want to educate and discuss the issues of May 13, they should speak on unity with all the races and not just one race.
“However for now, we will just wait and see in what context they plan to proceed with this rally,” he said.
Gerakan deputy president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said that the party was “glad” that the gathering had been put off following intervention by the government.
“The cancellation is good news. A gathering to commemorate May 13 should involve all races working as one single entity to forge closer unity for all Malaysians,” Chang said in a statement today.
He added that everyone should work closely together to help realize the Prime Minister’s 1 Malaysia concept.
“We have freedom of expression in the country but there is a limit. Once freedom is abused, we should stop it,” Chang added.
DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said the entire gathering should have been cancelled instead of just postponed as it was an “offensive and unacceptable” idea.
“We condemn the very notion of this ‘Melayu Bangkit’ concept of May 13 and a rally to commemorate the blackest day in the country.
“It goes against the concept of nation building and of 1 Malaysia. It just shows there are people in this country who are totally insensitive to what this country is about,” he said.
He agreed that it was good for the public to be aware of the tragedy of May 13 but it should be via a more dispassionate and rational examination of the true causes that led to the bloodshed in 1969.
“There is a need to find the cause which has been hidden away. In 1971, I asked for a royal commission of inquiry for this — not to find fault but to find out what really went wrong,” he said.
PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub agreed with Lim but said the rally could go on if it changed its context.
“They can speak on May 13 but in a different manner... perhaps they can address topics related to the New Economic Model but they should not raise sensitivities.
“We have gone past 50 years of independence... we do not want a similar occurrence in the future,” he said.
According to Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, the May 13 rally was organised by Gertak along with government agency Terengganu Integrity Institute.
It was initially scheduled for tomorrow at the Gong Badak indoor statement and was expected to draw over 10,000 individuals from 45 Malay NGOs.
Gertak chief Razali Idris claimed that the rally was to unite the Malays by reminding them of the May 13 tragedy and not to stir up racial sentiments.
It was, however, postponed today following disapproval by the country’s leadership.
Razali told The Malaysian Insider that it would be up to Dr Mahathir to select a new date for the gathering.
MI
13/05/10
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