KOTA BARU: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng continue to receive flak today for issuing official statements in Mandarin, this time from a Pas leader who said such move will only fuel hatred among the people.
Its secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said Lim’s action could cause anxiety and suspicion, including disrupting unity in a multi-ethnic society of Malaysia.
Lim was slammed recently after he issued a statement related to the Tun Razak Exchange in three languages - Bahasa Melayu, English and Mandarin.
"This is something unprecedented or never been done in the history of the country's administration, when a minister publishes a government official statement in Mandarin even as a translation.
"Pas also views Lim's reply on the issue on Facebook, which was published in Mandarin to defend his action, as arrogant," he said in a statement.
Takiyuddin said Lim appeared to have "deliberately" misinterpreted Article 152 of the Federal Constitution by saying that: 'In the spirit of the Constitution, what's wrong with issuing a translated media statement in Mandarin? '.
He said Pas did not deny the right of people to use Mandarin or other languages in the country, but Bahasa Melayu as the official language should be used for government affairs.
He said Lim, as a minister, should have complied with the government's official arrangement set out in the Constitution.
"There are many administrative circulars that clearly stated that Bahasa Melayu be used and take precedence when it comes to government-related affairs.
"Pas urges YB (Lim) to not try to "play with fire" by raising the people's anger with his arrogant attitude and lowering the status of Bahasa Melayu as national language in the name of the 'New Malaysia'." he said.
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