SAPP slams Zahid's remarks as 'double insults'
Racial profiling of Malaysians should be blamed for the dismally small number of non-Malays in the armed forces, said a former Sabah chief minister.
Yong Teck Lee, who is also Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, noted that in the early years after independence, the armed forces, police and the civil service were multi-racial.
“By way of policy and practice, the federal civil service has changed from Malaysian to Melayu. It is not “lack of patriotism” but a “marginalisation of non-Melayu“ that has turned our armed forces from Malaysian into Melayu,” he said.
He was responding to remarks made by the Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in parliament where he cited “lack of patriotism” as one of the reasons for the small number of non-Malays in the armed forces. Ahmad Zahid has since come under heavy criticms from both sides of the political divide.
Describing the remark as one of 'poor judgment' and a ‘double insult’ to non-Malays, Yong said after being systemically excluded from the armed forces over the last five decades, they are now being labelled as 'less patriotic' than the Malays for not joining the military.
“This ministerial statement must not be left unchallenged,” stressed Yong. He said Zahid should not forget the country’s history when Malaysians of all races had fought side by side.
"Sabahans and Sarawakians from the Rangers and Iban Trackers had successfully defeated the communists during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960).
“In Sabah (then North Borneo), local people of all races had banded together to fight the Japanese occupation. The next time the Defence Minister comes to Sabah, he should visit the Petagas War Memorial and see for himself the final resting place of our martyrs.
“It is also dangerously racist for the Defence Minister to blame “concern over strict discipline and low pay” as other factors.
"It is as though non-Malays lack discipline and are interested only in good pay.
"The Defence Minister obviously does not realise the strict discipline that is required in the private sector and the selfless charity and social work rendered by so many citizens outside the civil service,” Yong said in a statement issued here.
He also said for the country to be strong and united, the Barisan Nasional government should rectify the “single-race civil service” into a truly Malaysian one.
“If you go to Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya, almost everybody from the security at the main gate to the lift operators, the drivers, tea lady, clerks, officers and top officials are all Malays.
"At federal ministries, only non-Umno politicians and their political aides are non-Malays. The same pattern is seen in most government offices and agencies,” he said - FMT.
Yong Teck Lee, who is also Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, noted that in the early years after independence, the armed forces, police and the civil service were multi-racial.
“By way of policy and practice, the federal civil service has changed from Malaysian to Melayu. It is not “lack of patriotism” but a “marginalisation of non-Melayu“ that has turned our armed forces from Malaysian into Melayu,” he said.
He was responding to remarks made by the Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in parliament where he cited “lack of patriotism” as one of the reasons for the small number of non-Malays in the armed forces. Ahmad Zahid has since come under heavy criticms from both sides of the political divide.
Describing the remark as one of 'poor judgment' and a ‘double insult’ to non-Malays, Yong said after being systemically excluded from the armed forces over the last five decades, they are now being labelled as 'less patriotic' than the Malays for not joining the military.
“This ministerial statement must not be left unchallenged,” stressed Yong. He said Zahid should not forget the country’s history when Malaysians of all races had fought side by side.
"Sabahans and Sarawakians from the Rangers and Iban Trackers had successfully defeated the communists during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960).
“In Sabah (then North Borneo), local people of all races had banded together to fight the Japanese occupation. The next time the Defence Minister comes to Sabah, he should visit the Petagas War Memorial and see for himself the final resting place of our martyrs.
“It is also dangerously racist for the Defence Minister to blame “concern over strict discipline and low pay” as other factors.
"It is as though non-Malays lack discipline and are interested only in good pay.
"The Defence Minister obviously does not realise the strict discipline that is required in the private sector and the selfless charity and social work rendered by so many citizens outside the civil service,” Yong said in a statement issued here.
He also said for the country to be strong and united, the Barisan Nasional government should rectify the “single-race civil service” into a truly Malaysian one.
“If you go to Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya, almost everybody from the security at the main gate to the lift operators, the drivers, tea lady, clerks, officers and top officials are all Malays.
"At federal ministries, only non-Umno politicians and their political aides are non-Malays. The same pattern is seen in most government offices and agencies,” he said - FMT.
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