ALOR STAR: Leaders from various political parties have united in denouncing the stance of Kedah Umno information chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin against the government's push to encourage greater participation of the Chinese community in public service roles.
National Gerakan Youth chief Wong Chia Zhen said Shaiful's opposition to the campaign aimed at increasing the participation of Chinese individuals in public service was deeply troubling.
Wong, who is also Kedah Human Resources, Chinese, Indian and Siamese Communities and Non-Governmental Organisations committee chairman, questioned if Shaiful implied that the Chinese community were not citizens and therefore not eligible to join the public service.
"In my understanding, the curriculum taught in Chinese communities is no different from other ethnic groups.
"The inclusion of Chinese individuals in the public service would benefit the nation and should not be interpreted as a threat to the Malays," he said in a statement today.
Wong highlighted Shaiful's contradiction when he himself said during the 15th General Election (GE15) that the country's politics should move towards a new direction by setting aside racial and religious doctrines.
"He himself said that the people should focus on the values a candidate can bring, rather than solely considering ethnic or religious issues," he added.
Wong suggested that perhaps this was one of the reasons why Umno lost in GE15 without securing a single seat in Kedah.
"Perhaps this is also why Umno is becoming increasingly irrelevant. This is no longer the Umno we knew. The Umono we knew did not represent only one group of people, but rather a national party that safeguarded the interests of all. Perhaps Umno needs to rise again in a different manner. Let's try again next time," he added.
Wong added that this also demonstrated the lack of consensus among members parties of the unity government.
"This is also a result of the phenomenon of 'forced marriages' within the Madani government. Perhaps I will try to mediate for them this time," he added.
Meanwhile, Kedah DAP chairman Tan Kok Yew said that Shaiful's statement was unjust towards the Malay communities, asserting that Malays are fully capable of succeeding in the private sector as well.
"I believe it's unfair to suggest that Malays or Bumiputera to rely on the civil service. I think we have reached a point where many Bumiputera are highly educated and skilled. They have excellent opportunities for success in the private sector.
"I think it's high time to encourage them to gain exposure (in the private sector) rather than providing them with a crutch. It's time to let go of this outdated model," he added.
Meanwhile, Kedah MCA chairman Chua Tiong Ghee said that Shaiful's statement was unbecoming of his position as Kedah Umno information chief.
He stressed that as a leader, Shaiful should deliver constructive statements and refrain from making destructive remarks detrimental to nation-building.
"It is very unfair, we are a multicultural country, so our thinking must be tolerant and inclusive. If he constantly focuses on racial issues, I doubt our country can progress and thrive," he added.
On Saturday, a Chinese daily reported that the government will launch a campaign to encourage greater Chinese community participation in the public sector, starting nationwide from Melaka on Sunday.
Political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Chan Ming Kai said that the campaign was conducted due to the low interest among the Chinese community in civil service roles.
In response, Shaiful expressed concern over the federal government's campaign to encourage more Chinese to join the civil service.