Former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin says the group, comprising former top civil servants has acted unreasonably by making Malay non-governmental organisations such as Perkasa and Isma as their enemies.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13, 2014:
The group of 25 prominent Malays who recently made the news with an open letter to the Prime Minister are “arrogant and pompous”, says a former Minister.
Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin said the group, comprising former top civil servants, also acted unreasonably by making Malay non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Perkasa and Isma as their enemies.
“These 25 prominent Malays should be careful as to ensure that they do not become a tool for The Star that has a hidden agenda which so far has successfully created a bad perception of the Malay NGOs that are fighting for Islam and Malaysian nationalism based on the Federal Constitution,” the former Information Minister said in a blog post, alluding to the English daily.
The open letter to Datuk Seri Najib Razak four days ago urged the premier to establish an inclusive consultative committee as well as called for a rational dialogue on Islamic laws and for moderation.
Zainuddin also took to task one of the 25 for attacking Perkasa and Isma members.
Former Malaysian Ambassador to the Netherlands Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin had labelled the two right wing groups as uneducated.
“Is this the feature of intelligence and wisdom of the former civil servants who want to portray themselves as a group of moderates?,” he wrote.
Zainuddin who was previously the Chief Editor of Malay daily Utusan Malaysia added that the 25 government retirees should understand better the challenges faced by the Constitution as they had gone through the process of national development with the country’s former Prime Ministers.
He also hoped that these prominent Malays would consult the Selangor Sultan before they hold a dialogue with non-Muslims as information provided by the Selangor Sultan seemed clearer than the explanations given by religious officers themselves.
“The problems faced by the nation are very sensitive and must be balanced with the thoughts and wishes of the majority who support the government.”
He also slammed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom for his ignorance on the hidden agenda behind The Star’s call for moderation.
“Jamil Khir must have missed the hypocrisy behind this moderation campaign, unless he scrutinises a big part of the news, social and political pieces that the newspaper has published.”
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