Tanjung Piai by-election: Keep race and religion out
PEKAN NENAS: The stakes are high and everyone is fighting to win. But even so, candidates in the Tanjung Piai by-election reject the use of racism card to fish for votes.
“We must be harmonious. Fight using your own way, but please don’t be racist because this is Malaysia.
“We are Bangsa Johor,” said Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng.
The former two-term Tanjung Piai MP said that locals at the constituency were multiracial and they all lived in harmony.
“For me, Chinese, Malay and Indians are always part of my family. I’m very friendly with them,” he told reporters when met after officiating a Chinese traditional massage charity drive to raise education funds for Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC) here yesterday.
Wee added that even if some parties resorted to racial rhetoric, he was confident that the Tanjung Piai folk would reject them.
“I think the people in Tanjung Piai will know better. They know how to value what’s good and bad. I think there shouldn’t be a problem,” he added.
The Tanjung Piai polls on Nov 16 will be a six-cornered fight among Wee, Pakatan Harapan’s Karmaine Sardini, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam, Pan Malaysian Islamic Front (Berjasa)’s Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz, and two independent candidates –Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar and Dr Ang Chuan Lock.
In Pontian, Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Karmaine Sardini said an elected representative must and should represent all races instead of representing one particular community.
“If a wakil rakyat only represents one particular community, then the person is not fit to be called a wakil rakyat as he or she should represent the Malays, Chinese and Indians,” said the 66-year-old when met during his walkabout programme held at Jalan Sawah in Pekan Nenas here yesterday.
Separately, Wendy said she was the proud result after a Malay pakcik introduced her Indian father to her Chinese mother.
Believing that racism is never the way for Malaysia, the 38-year-old lawyer said she was always appreciative of her roots.
She believes racism is not common on the ground.
“It is actually politicians who are trying to divide and conquer.
“This is something we should not subscribe to and we must educate the people about the importance of racial harmony.
“We are one big family,” Wendy said.
Source: TheStar
