International   

Badawi call for racial harmony

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has set a political priority of improving national unity, which is now in a "fragile" state, by promoting better ties among the races — the majority Malays and the minorities of Chinese and ethnic Indians.

"Outwardly, we seem to be alright, but deep down in our hearts racial sentiment is still high," Mr. Abdullah said in a media briefing at Putrajaya, the administrative enclave.

His comments on the sensitive issue of race relations in multi-cultural Malaysia acquired importance in the context of elaborate plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's independence next year.

Minority complaints

And, his sense of urgency was heightened by the latest complaints from minority communities against the alleged overtones of Malay supremacy in the recent speeches of some members belonging to the Prime Minister's party.

These speeches were delivered at the latest annual convention of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the main party in the national coalition-government. And, Mr. Abdullah criticised the "irresponsible" attitude of raking up racial sentiments in a bid to gain political support.

Mr. Abdullah emphasised the need to celebrate the golden jubilee as a multi-cultural festival.

As a long-term measure, he had instructed the educational authorities to inculcate a sense of inter-racial harmony at the level of primary schools itself. He wanted non-Malay parents to send their children to the national schools, where the enrolment of students from the minorities was still low.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Taliban resurgence worries embattled NATO commanders
"Litvinenko was murdered"
Russia to conduct its own probe
Kasuri to push jirga plan
Badawi call for racial harmony
Judge on graft trial
Colombo alleges three deaths in LTTE firing at school
Talks on constitution
Crackdown on activists as Musharraf visits Quetta
Bush, Blair for charting new directions in Iraq
Envoy allowed to visit Kilinochchi
India, UAE seek joint ventures
Stop splitting the motherland: China

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu