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(Bernama) - PORT DICKSON: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government will not allow any quarter to disrupt racial unity in the country and will promptly act against those who played up sensitive racial issues.
He said since the Barisan Nasional (BN) governed the country, it had managed to unite the various races which had different cultures, customs and religions. "This racial unity must be preserved at all costs... we don't feel awkward about this as history has proven that for such a long time our people have been able to live as a united society," he said at an Aidilfitri gathering in Taman PD Utama here yesterday. Muhyiddin said it was only once, in 1969, that Malaysia went through the darkest part (May 13, 1969 racial riots) of its history and the government did not want such an incident to recur. The opposition, however, wished to see peace destroyed by making a lot of defamatory statements and creating friction among the races, besides accusing the government of not wanting to help them, he added. "In BN, we want to focus on fostering racial unity. Alhamdulillah, the racial ties have been forged. If there are people who use racial issues to stoke anger and hatred, and thus create problems, we have the Sedition Act to deal with them so that they don't simply play up such issues." He said unity had been forged for long in BN and unlike the opposition pact, the BN would use the same symbol — the scale — for all its component parties (in the Bagan Pinang by-election) and that BN was set up with a charter and was a registered body. "The opposition will make baseless accusations because there are no issues. They are bankrupt of political capital to campaign, so they resort to slandering and telling lies. But I believe the voters will not fall for such tactics." He said as the country practised democracy, the people had the right to vote for any party. "But BN with its excellent record in administering the country should be the best choice for the people and its candidate for this by-election, Tan Sri Isa Abdul Samad, is known to the locals and is experienced in administration." Muhyiddin said the government was not asking the people to repay its deeds, but their recognition for what it had done for the people would be apt.
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