GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf has accused Umno of deliberately fanning racist sentiments to safeguard the interest of a powerful elite made up of individuals of various ethnic origins.In a strongly-worded statement calling for support for a “solidarity march” on Feb 27, Hindraf Makkal Sakti advisor N Ganesan said racism in Malaysia was “Umno-manufactured” and was being used to the advantage of a rich and powerful few.
“Umno perpetuates racist policies merely to safeguard and enhance the elite, comprising the politically powerful and rich individuals from various ethnic communities,” he said.
The Feb 27 march will begin at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre. It was originally meant to be a show of protest against the use of the controversial novel Interlok as a literature text for Form Five students, but it is now advertised as “People’s March: Solidarity Against Umno’s Racism”.
Ganesan called on “all patriotic Malaysians who are for social justice, equality, democracy, fairness and rule of law” to join the protest.
He said they must leave behind their “partisan minds” and show “defiance and determination to break the stranglehold the greedy elite have on the country”.
“It is time to bury racism in Malaysia and it is time to take the bull by its horns,” he added.
He said Umno fed the Malays with “synthetic insecurities” to enable it to continue with its divide-and-rule policies and that the use of Interlok in schools was the latest manifestation of these policies.
Meanwhile, he added, “the elite just sit back and enjoy”.
He said any nation that was essentially multicultural nation must to be driven by a governance paradigm that appreciated its diverse strengths.
“Do we see that happening in our country? It’s a big no.”
