GEORGE TOWN – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the Penang chief minister is a non-Malay as the majority of the state population are non-Malays.
Responding to claims that it is time for the chief minister’s post to be held by a Malay, Anwar said this should not be made an issue.
“What is most important is that the person is free of corruption and able to work for the people.
“Look, the prime minister is Malay, the deputy prime minister is also Malay and so is the finance minister, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also Malay…where is the threat to the Malays?
“I have said this many times. Regardless of who you are, if you are corrupt, the authorities will come after you. It is applicable to all races,” he said after meeting the newly reactivated Penang Bumiputera Development Council.
Earlier, when addressing the state civil service corps here, Anwar mentioned that the race of the chief minister should be secondary to the candidate’s performance.
“If he is Chinese, so what…the prime minister is Malay.”
Earlier, Bersatu Penang said it is of the view that the time had come for changes in the administration of the state government, especially for the chief minister position.
Its chief information officer, Rasman Farish Shamsuddin revealed that a Malay leader must be appointed to the post of chief minister if PN wins the state government in the upcoming state polls.
He said the future chief minister should be able to look after the interests of the people of various races in this state without any discrimination, without extremism, and without racism.
“To achieve this, Bersatu and Pas candidates will be contesting in areas where there is a Malay majority.
“At the moment, our machinery is focusing and working only to ensure that PN wins in the upcoming state polls,” he was reported as saying. – The Vibes, April 14, 2023
