SEREMBAN, March 2 (Bernama) -- Umno Youth vice chief Khairy Jamaludin said it was improper for Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to say the New Economic Policy had neglected the rights of the non-Malays.
Among the main objectives of NEP, he said, was to eradicate poverty regardless of race.
NEP had never discriminated against the non-Malays in the disbursement of out aid and the approach taken by the Barisan Nasional government so far proved that it had assisted everyone, he said here Monday.
"I feel Nik Aziz's remark was not accurate. May be he had been wrongly informed by his officers," told reporters after giving out aid to 31 families in Kampong Paroi in who were affected by yesterday's flash flood.
Nik Aziz said yesterday that the word "Bumiputera" in NEP seemed to have given the impression that other races had been neglected.
Meanwhile, Khairy who is member of Parliament for Rembau, warned the opposition not to dispute matters already written in the constitution such as the Rulers' institution, the formation of government and the Bumiputera privileges.
"Don't fan racial sentiments, don't act irresponsibly. We in Barisan Nasional want to maintain national harmony," he said lambasting Johor opposition leader Dr Boo Cheng Hau who equated "Bumiputraism" with the South African apartheid policy which discriminated against the non-whites.
"We have never suppressed or oppressed other races and previously at the initial stages, we gave priority to the Bumiputera because they were the poorest at that time," Khairy said.
-- BERNAMA
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