Education Minister Mahdzir Khaled: "UMNO Is The Only Party That Can Be In Government"
UMNO Supreme Council member Mahdzir Khalid, who is also the Education Minister, has blamed foreign forces of trying to destabilise Malaysia as a Muslim country.
By Sadho Ram — 10 Aug 2015, 06:04 AM
Church group wants Education Minister to apologise over 'Christians splitting Malays' remarks
Newly-minted Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid owes Christian Malaysians an apology after accusing the minority faith group of being in cahoots with Jews and London-based whistleblower site Sarawak Report of an attempt to divide the Malay Muslim majority, the country’s largest Protestant Christian group said today.
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In a strongly worded statement today, CCM general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri said Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid should apologise and clarify what he meant with the remark made while he was criticising UK-based whistleblower website Sarawak Report.
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"First of all, it is wrong to link us Christians with the Jews. Its highly misleading to even associate us with the Jews and worse still, to propose that we are in any way trying to split the Malays or any other group," said Council of Churches secretary-general Hermen Shastri in a press statement today.
Shastri said such remarks coming from a minister have caused much anxiety in the Christian community and moderate Malaysians.
"He should be promoting national harmony and unity, instead of spewing ill-will and polarisation in our country," he said.
"We therefore call upon the minister to clarify his detrimental and divisive remarks and better still to apologise for making those obnoxious comments," Shastri said today
As the minister in charge of education, Mahdzir should instead be promoting national harmony and unity, Shastri added.
"He should not make false allegations as it is harmful and can be regarded as undermining national unity.
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On Sunday, Mahdzir allegedly blamed Jews and Christians for having an agenda to destroy Malaysia by likening it to countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria and other Muslim nations which are in turmoil.
thestar.com.myUMNO Supreme Council member Mahdzir Khalid, who is also the new Education Minister, on Sunday afternoon, 9 August, during his speech to officiate the Hulu Langat UMNO division meeting, told party members not to believe reports published in Sarawak Report. The Padang Terap MP then accused the UK-based site of promoting Jewish and Christian agenda aimed at splitting the Malays.
According to him, this was the biggest threat facing the country's leaders who were being attacked within and outside the country
"The Jews and the Christians have pledged that as long as there is the moon and the stars, as long as the end of the world is not here yet, they will decide that Muhammad's followers will be confused and split among themselves. This is the pledge of the Jews and Christians."
"And today, those who do things to us are not only from within the country but from outside the country like Sarawak Report, which does not operate from Kuching."
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He said the editor and founder of Sarawak Report, Clare Rewcastle-Brown, wanted to see Malaysia no longer as an Islamic country, adding that the site, currently blocked in Malaysia, has shown its true colours with malicious and erroneous stories about 1MDB and aims to put an end to the Bumiputera supremacy in the country
"Sarawak Report is not based in Kuching but it is in London. Who is behind this portal? Claire Brown and who is this Claire? She is the sister to Gordon Brown, the former prime minister of UK."
"What is their agenda? Their agenda is to see Malaysia no longer as an Islamic country," he said.
He added that the agenda has influenced Umno leaders where the Malay ruling party would be in danger of losing its power if this was not tackled immediately.
"They want to destroy our country and, to destroy it, they will ensure the Malays are split until they have no political power in their own country.
"This is what they want. Umno must reject them because Umno is the only party that can be in government. When Umno itself does not believe in its leaders, then Umno will be forced to look for a place to be the government. This is what they are doing," Mahdzir said.
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Echoing Mahdzir's thoughts, another UMNO Supreme Council member Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that as the country is facing a challenging political atmosphere, the Malays and Bumiputeras have no choice but to keep UMNO in power for a bright future ahead
“So, the option for the Malays is to retain Umno and Barisan Nasional’s power or let it be torn down. That’s why we (Umno members) have to work hard to strengthen unity among the members and leadership as well as get more support among the people,” said the Rural and Regional Development Minister.
He was speaking to reporters after attending the Bera Umno Division delegates meeting at Rakan Muda Complex in Bera today. Ismail Sabri said any slanderous allegations against Umno especially the party president, Najib Abdul Razak, should be rejected.
Meanwhile, Mahdzir Khalid, while endorsing Prime Minister Najib Razak's views on tackling social media, also spoke about how all UMNO members should be active and united on social media to counter the vicious attacks against the party and its leaders
"We need to have an awesome team in cyber war to counter and fight back our opponents through the same medium - the social media. How to get a strong team? The way is for all the three million Umno members to be united under one leadership, be active in cyber space, and counter-attack to dominate perception on the social media," he said.
thestar.com.myMahdzir, who is also education minister, said as part of an organisation, Umno members should, all together and using whatever medium, express support for the party and its leadership.
He was confident that each Umno member has become a social media user but had not fully used the opportunity to counter the online attacks by the opponents against the party and its leaders.