KUCHING: Sarawakian have been urged not to be influenced by Malaya style of politics of quarrelling over petty matters.
“The quarrelling over there (West Malaysia), don’t bring it over to Sarawak. While here in the state, there is no quarrelling,” said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He was responding to a recent insensitive remark by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang who had pinned corruption on non-Muslims, triggering an uproar among members of the public.
“Instead, we focus on the people, we build houses for the people,” Abang Johari told reporters in a press conference after handing over of the land titles, land compensations and house keys to households for the first phase of relocation to Darul Hana Resettlement Scheme here today.
When pressed further on whether the state government would ban Hadi from entering the state as recommended by Deputy Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Liwan Lagang, Abang Johari said “do not dwell into the issue”.
Earlier, Liwan had called on Hadi to be banned from the state for life as the latter’s character is not welcome in the state following his insensitive remarks that non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera made up the bulk of what the latter called the ‘roots of corruption’,
“Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, please look at yourself in the mirror before commenting on others. Corruption is not associated with any particular race and religion as it is a social disease that must be nipped in the bud and be eradicated in a holistic way.
“To say the majority of those who chase illicit gains in Malaysia are non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras, is just a sweeping comment without providing proper data and statistics.
“And what is worse is that it does not reflect the ‘reality’ of what is happening now in Malaysia,” he said.
Liwan said Hadi should do his best to unite all Malaysians especially due to his party’s religious background instead of being a loose cannon and attacking others.
