FORMER Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today took a swipe at former DAP leader Dr P. Ramasamy, labelling him a 'racist'.
This after the former Penang Deputy Chief Minister II claimed that Dr Mahathir was the prime architect of the divisive racial and religious policies that have kept ethnic groups apart in the country.
"Ramasamy often accuses me of being racist, but when he left a multiracial party (DAP), he went on to form an Indian party.
"And when people of Indian heritage are not found in the cabinet, he lambasts them. If it does not prioritise people of Indian heritage, then what is wrong if there are no ministers of Indian heritage in the cabinet?," Dr Mahathir asked in a Facebook post.
He said ministers of non-Indian heritage were also Malaysian ministers and as Malaysians, there is no reason why not having Indian ministers in the cabinet should be a problem.
"If the absence of ministers of Indian heritage in the cabinet seems unfair, the reason is certainly because Ramasamy is still loyal to the people of Indian heritage.
"It also means Ramasamy is a racist who fights not only for Malaysia but also for the people of Indian heritage," he said.
Recently, Dr Mahathir, in an interview with Indian language TV channel Thanthi TV, alleged that the Indian and Chinese communities in Malaysia do not identify as Malaysians because they still have loyalty to “their countries of origin”.
Yesterday, Ramasamy, the current United for the Rights of Malaysians (Urimai) interim council president, asked how could the Indians be considered as "first class citizens" when they are discriminated against and marginalised.
He said if Dr Mahathir thought that Indians were not completely loyal to the country, then the actual situation was completely the opposite.
On Aug 10 last year, Ramasamy left DAP after not being selected as a candidate in the state election and later formed Urimai. - The Vibes, January 15, 2024
