KUALA LUMPUR – Former CIMB Group Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak expressed his regret over the contents of Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’ recently launched autobiography, specifically on a chapter dealing with the racial riots of May 13, 1969, which appears to implicate his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.
In an Instagram post today, Nazir pointed to the sixth chapter, where Thomas says that “the evidence points to a coup by Tun Razak”.
“This is pure conjecture on his part. Fifty years on and not a shred of credible evidence has emerged to support this view,” said Nazir.
Razak was deputy prime minister when the riots broke out, and became the prime minister a year later until his death in 1976.
Thomas’ book My Story: Justice in the Wilderness was recently published by SIRD.
“Tommy relies on the fact that Tun Razak was the main beneficiary of the riots and that he must have been in a hurry to be PM because he had been told that he was dying,” Nazir said.
“These would not be tantamount to ‘evidence’ in any setting, much less a legal one.
“Moreover, Tommy has his facts wrong; Tun Razak’s cancer was only diagnosed in November 1969 and doctors suggested that it may have been the stress of dealing with the riots that caused the illness.”
On Thomas expressing puzzlement at Razak’s appointment as director of the National Operations Council by erstwhile prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Nazir said Rahman had chosen to do so by his own volition, determining that it was the best option given the circumstances.
He added that Rahman also endorsed the appointment of Tun Dr Ismail Rahman as home minister to support Razak.
Nazir added that he was also disturbed by the description of “hundreds of Malay youths brandishing parangs, krises and knives turning on their fellow citizens” as the main feature of the riots.
“I do not believe that it is very helpful to be suggesting that one group was especially at fault or to be discussing what transpired without sufficient context,” he said.
He stressed that Rahman had mentioned in Parliament in 1967: “We are sitting on a keg of gunpowder, and if we are not careful this could explode any time.”
Nazir said that while everyone has a right to their own opinion and views on what transpired, he decided to share his differing views as Thomas was until recently the highest legal officer of the government.
“It is noteworthy that these events took place long before he was even a legal practitioner and officials serving in government at the time have spoken highly about Tun Razak’s leadership and personal integrity as well as his efforts to bring back peace and stability, institute reforms and reinstate Parliament,” he said. – The Vibes, February 4, 2021
