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Najib: Use
BN channel
by Husna Yusop and Timothy Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
UALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister
K
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak yesterday
sought to contain the contentious public
debate on the ketuanan Melayu issue,
telling Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders to solve
their internal problems through the coalition
channel instead of issuing statements.
The BN deputy chairman said the open
exchange did not benefit the coalition as it would
give the public the impression that the coalition
faced a lot of problems.
“I don’t deny the right of BN members to
voice out their respective views but it must be
done wisely so as not to disadvantage BN and
we end up seen as being in conflict all the time,”
he said after chairing the Cabinet Committee on
Sports Development in Parliament yesterday.
Referring to the various statements made by
BN component party leaders in recent days, in
particular on the Malay supremacy issue, Najib
said it was better for internal party problems to
be solved the BN way.
“The rakyat must understand that if
they (statements) were not reported in the
newspapers, not necessarily it was not
discussed. All this while, they (leaders) were
accused of not doing anything. That prompted
them to make open statements. When this
happens, it becomes something unhealthy. So,
they were in a dilemma. For me, the best way is
to use the BN channel,” he said.
At another function, MCA president Datuk
Seri Ong Tee Keat urged all parties to stop
playing the racial card and instead focus on
economic issues which were more important in
the national agenda.
He said this in response to yesterday’s protest
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EPAPIX
by the Young Malay Graduates
Coalition (GGMM) against
MCA deputy president Datuk
Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s recent
comments on the concept of Malay
supremacy.
“As a democratic party in a
modern world, we accept this
matter (protest) with an open mind,” said Ong.
“But we also have our own mind … and our
own stand.”
He reminded all quarters that he had
repeatedly said the MCA upheld the Federal
Constitution. However, the party did not
condone racial domination, he said after visiting
the Keretapi Tanah Melayu workshop in Sentul.
A group of GGMM members, led by its
president Khairul Azam Aziz, had marched
from the Ampang Park LRT station to Wisma
MCA in Jalan Ampang to deliver a notice of
demand to Chua, asking him to pay RM2 million
in compensation for allegedly questioning the
special position of the Malays. Khairul asked for
Chua to apologise to the Malays and threatened
to take him to court on Wednesday if he failed to
do so.
Chua had on Sunday said he stood by
his view regarding the concept of ketuanan
Melayu, or Malay supremacy, despite heavy
criticisms from Umno leaders. He reportedly
said he accepted Malay leadership but not Malay
supremacy.
Earlier, after the Economic Council meeting
chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi, Najib, who is also finance
minister, said the main challenge in the near
future was to save the country from the world
economic crisis so that it would not fall into
recession, therefore, the government’s main
concern was to generate as much economic
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December 2, 2008
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BERNAMAPIX
Clinton picked
US President-elect Barack
growth as possible.
Obama listens as New York
“We do not deny that our market has been
senator Hillary Clinton speaks
affected and our real economy also has faced
after he named her as his
very severe economic pressure. We will be
choice for secretary of state at
facing an uncertain future. But Alhamdulillah
a news conference in Chicago,
(thank God) we could still survive. Although our
Illinois, last night.
growth is slow, there has been no adverse effect
Accepting the nomination,
such as companies going bankrupt in massive
Clinton, 61, vowed to make
form and unemployment. The inflation situation
the US a new force for positive
also has slowed down,” he said.
change, saying that she
He said Malaysia was on track to achieve at
would work with the world
least a 5% gross domestic product (GDP) growth
community to solve global
this year if fourth quarter growth was at least
crises.
1.4%. “This is based on the 4.7% growth in the
Obama, who takes office
third quarter. So, we are still within our target
in January, also announced
for a 3.5% growth in 2009,” he said.
that Defence Secretary Robert
However, he said, this growth will depend on
Gates, 65, will stay on the job
the effective implementation of the RM7 billion
at the Pentagon.
stimulus package and on condition that the
He also named former
external environment did not worsen.
Marine general James Jones
On alleged Malaysian links to the
to serve as national security
Mumbai terrorist attack, he said they were
adviser, and Susan Rice, his
“unsubstantiated and without evidence” but the
foreign policy aide during the
police had been in touch with the Interpol and
election campaign, to become
were awaiting further details.
US ambassador to the UN.
Najib also said the council was briefed on
Eric Holder was nominated
the crime situation by Inspector-General Police
as attorney-general, and
Tan Sri Musa Hassan in a special presentation
Arizona governor Janet
also attended by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed
Napolitano to head
Hamid Albar. He said according to the briefing,
the Homeland Security
Malaysia had a lower per capita crime rate than
Department.
Hongkong and Japan but public perception was
See Page 6
otherwise.