By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked his countrymen to shun “negative thoughts and suspicions” and has called for “mutual agreement” in dealing with issues.
“We are not selfish. We are a caring society. Refrain from having negative and suspicious thoughts and uttering words that can hurt the feelings of others. We must not be apathetic,” he said at a function on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha.
He did not name any ethnic group or the issue, but stressed that “cooperation and mutual agreement between Malaysians of different races, religions and cultures must be continuously cultivated and practised,” The Star newspaper said Friday.
The multi-ethnic nation has been rocked by tension since a protest rally of ethnic Indians, predominantly Tamil Hindus – which raised issues like racial and economic discrimination – was declared illegal and dispersed on Nov 25.
The government is prosecuting 31 rally participants, including the organizers -the Hindu Rights Action Group (Hindraf) that claims to speak for ethnic Indians.
The developments attracted expressions of concern by the Indian leadership and criticism from the US, both of which were rejected by Malaysia.
While the more serious charge of attempting to kill a policeman on duty at the rally has been dropped, five top Hindraf leaders have been detained for two years on charges of sedition under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA).
A court will next week hear writ petitions seeking release of the five – M. Manoharan, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganapati Rao, P. Vasanthakumar and R. Gangadharan.
The prime minister Thursday spoke of values that must be practised by future generations of Malaysians.
“In a multi-racial society, we must help anyone who needs our assistance, and not just those who share our religious views. Brotherhood, unity, and cooperation should be part of our daily lives,” he said at a sacrificial ceremony at the Penaga mosque here.
“Conflict will affect the country’s economy and stability. This is why mutual understanding is important. We must be smart in tackling issues. This can be done through discussions and mutual agreement,” he added.