KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 ― Putrajaya appears to have lost the political will to continue driving its 1 Malaysia campaign, an activist group said today, citing the increasing boldness of individuals spewing racially sensitive remarks.

Yayasan Bakti Nusa Malaysia (YBNM), an NGO that promotes unity building, said in a statement here that lack of government action against these individuals have created the perception that the government endorses extremist behaviour.

“Certainly it seems the political will for 1 Malaysia has completely died down or yielded to religious and ethnic bigotry for the sake of political expediency, which is a very sad situation for Malaysian citizens,” the foundation said in a statement.

One such example, said YBNM executive advisor Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, is the statement made earlier this week by Malay rights group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman on the origins of the Chinese in Malaysia.

In remarks posted on Isma's website, Abdullah had suggested that the influx of Chinese migrants into Tanah Melayu had been “a mistake” and called the country’s second biggest race “invaders”.

Ong said YBNM “strongly condemns” the statement, adding that the fact that it had been uttered shows that Malaysians have grown bolder and no longer fear action by Putrajaya.

YBNM president Datuk Seri Dr How Kok Choong and the group's executive committee urged the government to take immediate action to remedy this, warning that their failure would only enforce the perception that it is acceptable to issue incendiary remarks that hurt the sensitivities of the country's minority races.

YBNM also called on the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) and the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM), two movements set up by the government as part of its bid to reject extremism, to voice their disapproval.

“YBNM will be taking action to meet with like-minded peers and appointed bodies to bring the seriousness of the rakyat's concern to their attention,” the group said in the statement.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has said the police are investigating Isma and has pledged stern action against those provoking racial tensions, following widespread uproar.