Malays face 'very frightening' social problems: Minister<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysia's ethnic Malays face the
\n\"very frightening\" social problems of crime, drug abuse and
\ndivorce, a minister said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Rais Yatim, a minister in the prime minister's department,
\ncalled for the establishment of a \"Malay Council\" as a permanent
\nforum to discuss the Malay agenda.<\/p>\n
He said Malay intellectuals, leaders, professionals and
\nindividuals could become members, irrespective of political
\nbeliefs.<\/p>\n
\"What's important is having a unifier and direction for the
\nMalays outside the confines of the prejudice of party politics,\"
\nRais said.<\/p>\n
The minister, quoted by the official Bernama news agency, was
\nspeaking at a university forum.<\/p>\n
A drift from the villages to towns and cities amid an
\nindustrialization drive has been blamed for some of the social
\nproblems faced by Malays.<\/p>\n
Commentators say the sacking and jailing of ex-deputy premier
\nAnwar Ibrahim has split the country's Malay community, which
\nmakes up just over half the population.<\/p>\n
The ruling United Malays National Organization lost 22 seats
\nat last November's election -- mostly to the opposition Malay
\nparty, Parti Islam SeMalaysia.<\/p>\n
Officials of another opposition group, the National Justice
\nParty, vowed on Thursday to hold massive demonstrations to demand
\nfreedom for the jailed Anwar and warned that the rallies could
\njeopardize next month's Formula One race.<\/p>\n
Raja Petra Kamarudin, director of the online FreeAnwar
\nCampaign, said that tens of thousands of people were expected to
\nattend the protests in a dozen Malaysian cities and towns
\nstarting Oct. 11.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian Grand Prix, which will end the Formula One
\nseason, will be held Oct. 22 and is by far the most high-profile
\nsports event in this Southeast Asian country, reaching an
\nestimated worldwide television audience of 660 million people in
\nits inaugural run last year.<\/p>\n
Despite regular opposition appeals for Malaysians to show
\nsupport for Anwar, recent demonstrations have drawn only small
\ncrowds of several dozen to a few hundred people, a fraction of
\nthe tens of thousands that rallied to Anwar's banner two years
\nago.<\/p>\n
Raja Petra told The Associated Press that the National Justice
\nParty, led by Anwar's wife, was organizing the rallies to rebut
\ngovernment claims that the opposition movement is sputtering out.<\/p>\n
\"Mahathir won't find it easy anymore,\" said Raja Petra. \"He
\nmust certainly be worried about how these demonstrations will
\naffect attendance at the Formula One race.\"<\/p>\n
Rais called for a cleaning-up in his own party, saying the
\nUMNO cause could not be premised on money, rewards and corporate
\ndividends.<\/p>\n
He said the party must return to the roots of its struggle and
\nundergo complete self-cleansing.<\/p>\n
Rais told reporters later the Malays should learn from the
\nChinese, the second largest race. He said the Chinese Chamber of
\nCommerce and Industry talked \"almost about anything\" concerning
\ntheir community.<\/p>\n
\"The Malays, likewise, should adopt the same approach. Among
\nall the races the Chinese community is the most practical because
\nthey don't impinge upon prejudices or religious bigotry,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The constitution reserves special rights for Malays. A
\ndecades-old affirmative action program also aims to narrow the
\ngap with the wealthier Chinese, who dominate business.<\/p>",
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