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    30 June 2012| last updated at 06:57PM

    Unchecked racial politics would erode nation's values



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    NIBONG TEBAL: Racial politics would have a negative impact on the country if it is allowed to dominate the nation's structure and administration, commented Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Social Sciences deputy dean Prof Madya Dr Sivamurugan Pandian.

     

    He emphasised that if political parties focused only on their own ethnic interest without compromise or sacrifice, it could jeorpadise the country's achievements.    
     
    "I agree with Tun Dr Mahathir that racial politics would be one of the important factors to influence the voting trend in the next general election," he told Bernama after the 1Malaysia Rapat Forum organised by the Special Affairs Department here today. 
     
    He said political parties should be balanced in order to prevent such tendencies from destroying their own values and ideologies.    
     
    Political leaders should not be too caught up with certain personalities or agendas to the point of sidelining the society which preferred racial issues to be handled in a rational, practical and healthy manner, he added.     
     
    "The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) himself pointed out that the race issue should not be exaggerated and that we should respect one another. If a leader shows respect and can understand and accept differences, it is a reflection of his leadership qualities," he said.     
     
    Although each political party has its own ethnic interest, it cannot sideline other ethnic groups and it should have the flexibility to represent everyone at the national, he added.   
     
    Dr Sivamurugan also remarked that opposition leaders should learn to refrain from using racial politics as a platform to garner votes.    
     
    Commenting further he said unbridled racial politics could even have a negative impact on the 1Malaysia concept inspired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.   
     
    "If racial politics go unchecked, it would erode the nation's values. It would grow and encourage ethnocentricity, prejudice and suspicion and cause us to lose everything," he said. Bernama       
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