KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — National Patriot Association’s president Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji has slammed Malay rights group Perkasa today for demanding only a Malay can be the finance minister.

The retired brigadier-general, who was recently appointed a member of the Institutional Reforms Committee, said Malaysians had voted for change and race-based, stereotypical thinking has no place in the new Malaysia.

“Patriot would like to give a friendly reminder to Perkasa that this is a new Malaysia and the vast majority has voted for this change,” he said in a statement.

“The decades of race-based politicking, divide and rule, weaponised race and religion as tools to sow distrust and hatred, stereotyping of race and group to be hated as enemies, are now gone and buried.”

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Perkasa yesterday claimed that the Finance Ministry involves many institutions, agencies and departments which deal with Bumiputra welfare.

Arshad said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng who was appointed finance minister has proven himself very capable of administering Penang, including taking care of the Malay-Muslim interest there.

He also pointed out to Lim’s testament that the MP sees himself as a Malaysian and not a Chinese, and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself had endorsed Lim’s appointment.

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One of the best testaments of Lim is that he sees himself as a Malaysian first. Furthermore Anwar Ibrahim has come out to endorse Lim’s appointment.

“Patriot urge that Perkasa’s call of race-based, stereotyped thinking, be the last. Let us all Malaysians come together, put on our patriotic cap, support and work with our new government under Tun Dr Mahathir’s leadership.

“Let us think of ourselves as Malaysians first,” he said.