ALOR STAR: Kedah Umno has hit out at Pas and Bersatu for keeping silent over the recent controversial remarks made by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in which he questioned the loyalty of the local Indian and Chinese communities.
Its Information chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin said he is not surprised as the Pas and Bersatu leaders are "hardcore riders of sentiment."
"It is even more disheartening that Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and their allies are keeping quiet.
"However, it is not surprising since they are parties that a hardcore riders of sentiment.
"They realise that any statement that is not pro-Malay and Islam will only compromise their rating. Hence, they are willing to forgo any action that is right for the nation," he said in a statement today.
Shaiful was commenting on Dr Mahathir's remarks which suggested that the Indian and Chinese communities in Malaysia were not entirely loyal to the country.
The former prime ministersaid this in an exclusive interview with an Indian satellite TV station.
Shaiful claimed that Dr Mahathir's remarks showed that he has never departed from racist and outdated politics.
"Such remarks will certainly hurt the feelings of the Indian community in Malaysia. In fact, as a multi-racial and cultural nation, such statements should have not been came from a former prime minister who was once pleaded for votes from the Indian community," he said.
Commenting further, Shaiful said Gerakan has been made the scapegoat for Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the issue.
"Gerakan remains as a component party with the 'peripheral' status because they have to beg from other PN components.
"At the same time, Gerakan is acting as a party that cleanses the "dirt." The fact is, that is the symbiosis in PN, all of them are parasites among each other," he said.
Shaiful further claimed that Pas needed Dr Mahathir for financial support after Bersatu's accounts was frozen by the authorities for investigations.
"Bersatu needs Pas for Malay votes. Pas needs Bersatu as the funder. That is why, after Bersatu's accounts were frozen, Pas was the first party that went to befriend their arch enemy, Dr Mahathir.
"They used to call him "Maha Firaun" (Pharaoh), now he is free from sins just by supporting Pas. But that is Pas' style of khawarij," claimed Shaiful.
He added that Pas and Bersatu will forever be riding on Malay and Islamic sentiments, while stressing that they will never succeed as Malaysia is a multi-racial country and such divisive politics is no longer relevant.
On Sunday, Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai said PN has distanced itself from Dr Mahthir's remarks.
Lau, who is also PN deputy chairman said the decision was reached during the PN Supreme Council meeting recently.
He told a press conference on Sunday that Dr Mahathir's statement does not sway public support for PN since he is not part of the coalition.
Lau was reported as saying that Muhyiddin, who is also PN chairman, disagreed with Dr Mahathir's statement and deemed it inappropriate.