Malaysia may face racial polarization, says DAP leader

Malaysia may face racial polarization, says DAP leader

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Warning that fresh attempts to unite ethnic Malays could alienate Malaysia's minority races, ethnic Chinese opposition leaders slammed Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's party on Thursday for excluding them from proposed talks on national unity.

Kerk Kim Hock, secretary-general of the Democratic Action Party, or DAP, said planned discussions between Mahathir and senior Malay opposition leaders would "arouse some suspicion from the Chinese community."

"We don't consider such talks appropriate," Kerk told The Associated Press. "The call for Malay unity does not go in tandem with the Malaysian people's aspirations at this time."

A string of national controversies -- which include Chinese concerns over a new school system and calls to revamp special privileges for the Malay majority -- have rattled race relations over the past year.

Government officials have acknowledged that the rift between the Malay and Chinese communities must be addressed. But Mahathir insisted last week that his ruling party's priority was settling conflicts among Muslim Malays, who comprise more than half of Malaysia's 22 million people.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday the ruling United Malays National Organization, or UMNO, will ask Mahathir to hold unprecedented talks with his ethnic Malay arch- foes in the opposition.

"It is the Malays that stand to benefit. That is the important thing," Abdullah said. "Please remember that Malay unity has always been the basis for national unity."

But the DAP, which is the sole ethnic Chinese group in Malaysia's four-party opposition coalition, says UMNO's proposal is a ploy to boost its own flagging popularity.

"There is a question of racial polarization here. We must be careful not to sacrifice our decades of nation-building," said Lim Kit Siang, the DAP's national chairman.

Mahathir, who is visiting Myanmar through Jan. 9, is expected to agree to meet with Fadzil Noor, president of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, and Azizah Ismail, head of the National Justice Party and wife of jailed politician Anwar Ibrahim.

Malaysia's longtime ruler commanded most Malays' support for nearly two decades -- until he fired Anwar as his deputy in September 1998. Anwar was arrested on charges of corruption and sodomy.

Anwar's conviction on both charges and prison sentences totaling 15 years angered many Malays who believe that Mahathir framed his erstwhile protege to prevent a political challenge. Over the past year, UMNO leaders have redoubled efforts to win back Malay allegiances, often at the cost of offending ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities, who make up nearly 40 percent of Malaysians.

Despite Chinese objections, the party has vowed to press on with a project that will put schools for ethnic Malay, Chinese and Indian students under one roof. Many Chinese fear this will erode their culture and undermine the unique traits of their entrenched education system.