Ex-top cop Hanif wrong, Dr Mahathir had criticised Malay rights in 1965, say DAP duo
DAP has hit out at former inspector-general of police (IGP) Tun Hanif Omar (pic) for blaming the alternative media for raising issues like the special position of Bumiputeras, saying that former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had questioned and criticised the Malays since 1965.
In a joint statement, Pasir Pinji assemblyperson Howard Lee Chuan How and Lim Kit Siang's political secretary, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, said Hanif's statement had given the impression that questioning royalty and Malay rights had become a widespread problem.
"That is total rubbish. Furthermore, it is an insult to the intelligence of all Malaysians," they said.
Hanif, in a speech at a tea party for the sultan of Selangor last Sunday, had hit out at those who touched on sensitive issues. He blamed the alternative media for eroding the sanctity of the royal institution and Islam and causing Malaysians to question the special position of Bumiputeras.
Elaborating, Lee and Dyana said in 1965, Mahathir had criticised the Federal Constitution in Parliament, saying that Article 153 brought shame to the Malays.
Referring to the Parliament Hansard dated August 8, 1965, from pages 41 to 43, the duo said Dr Mahathir was recorded as saying: "Saya tidak perchaya, saya sebutkan lagi tidak perchaya dengan di-ada-kan, dengan di-chatitkan di-dalam Perlembagaan hak2 bumiputra, maka ini akan membawa kapada kesenangan bagi orang2 Melayu. (I do not believe, I say it again, I do not believe in the existence, in the writing-in to the Constitution on Malay rights, it will bring good to the Malay people.)
"Dan pada satu masa kita akan buang sama sa-kali hak2 istimewa orang Melayu. Saya faham bahawa hak2 ini yang ada terchatit di-dalam Perlembagaan pada masa sekarang juga ia-lah satu tanda kehinaan bagi orang2 Melayu.”
(And one day, we will throw away altogether, Malay special rights. I understand that it is written in the Constitution, but even now it is an insult to the Malay people.) Lee and Dyana said this proved that as early as 1965, not only had Dr Mahathir started to question the special positions of the Malays, but he felt the special position enjoyed by the community weakened them.
In another speech made by Dr Mahathir during the National Professors Congress on June 6, 2011, he was quoted as saying: "I feel very sad when I hear Malays talk about ketuanan Melayu. Apparently, there is Malay reserve land because we are tuan. But to have to live in a Malay reserve is an insult because that means I’m so weak that I’m to be protected in my own country. It is not something to be proud of."
Lee and Dyana said Dr Mahathir had also stripped away royal powers to appoint senior government officers despite objections from the Conference of Rulers.
"Exploiting Barisan Nasional’s two-thirds majority in Parliament, Dr Mahathir not once, but twice masterminded constitutional amendments, not only to undermine the monarchy, but systematically usurped what was previously a royal prerogative," they said.
They asked Hanif to retract his address and issue an apology to the sultan of Selangor. – December 12, 2013.
