KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 ― Non-Bumiputera component parties in Barisan Nasional (BN) have more say than associate members in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Parti Pribumi), MCA said today.
Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker added it was “racist” of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his team to accept non-Bumiputera members who have no rights to vote or contest for positions within the party.
“It is sad and pathetic to think that we have actually come to this level whereby leaders unashamedly played on the race card and discriminated others by race by reducing them to mere associate members,” Ti said in a statement.
“If this is not racist, I wonder what is? At least BN consists components of multi-racial parties with equal say within the party towards building consensus.”
He admitted that he did not see Parti Pribumi as progressive given that its leaders and founders were merely paying lip service to multiculturalism.
Muhyiddin, in registering Parti Pribumi yesterday, said it is open to Malays and Bumiputera, including those from Sarawak and Sabah.
He added that non-Bumiputera may join the party, although they will be restricted to a second-tier membership that does not permit them to contest for party positions.
He said the party aims to uphold the position of Islam and to protect the special position of the Malays and other Bumiputera.
