ALOR STAR: Kedah Umno Information chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin has fired a salvo at DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang over his remarks that the Federal Constitution does not prevent any non-Malay from becoming prime minister.
Shaiful claimed Lim's action appeared as if he wished to burn down the unity bridge and risk destroying the cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH).
"I honestly don't understand what Lim Kit Siang tried to convey when he made such remarks because such statement will surely destroy the cooperation and the good reputation of Unity government," he said in a statement today.
Shaiful, who is also Merbok Umno division chief stressed that DAP should put behind its old politics as the party's main 'vehicle' and they should realise that DAP is currently working together with Malay-based parties such as Umno.
"DAP should realise that they are already working with Umno. They should have not retained their old style of politics, the racial politics," he said.
He reminded Lim to change his political style and refrain from inflicting damage to Umno's reputation because the party will not compromise against such act.
"Kit Siang must change his style of politics if he wishes to see this government remain stable. His actions indirectly brought a shame to Umno.
"Umno will not compromise with such action because Umno is the sacred party for the Malays," he said.
Yesterday, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Hasmuni Hassan has lashed out at the former DAP chairman for being disrespectful towards component parties in Unity government.
Hasmuni, who is also former national Umno Youth wing secretary was reported as saying that Lim has offended the Malays with his remarks.
He had hit out at Lim for not learning from history in respecting the relationship between parties in the unity government, while continuing to show DAP's racist behaviour.
During an event in the United Kingdom in late November, the former DAP secretary-general and national chairman had said that the constitution, Rukun Negara, and Vision 2020 all provided for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural Malaysian Dream, rather than a mono-ethnic dream.
He reportedly repeated the same in Scotland as well, where he said the Federal Constitution does not prevent any non-Malay from becoming Prime Minister.
He also hoped that Malaysia would not need 230 years to see a non-Malay having the opportunity to become Prime Minister.
Lim, in a statement today, said he will give his statement to the police over his remarks while stressing that had no intention of being provocative as the matter is stated in the Federal Constitution.