PUTRAJAYA, July 18 — Issues of racial unity in Sabah, Sarawak, as well as in the peninsula will be among the main focus of Senator P. Waytha Moorthy, the newly-appointed minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of national unity and social well-being.
“Public perception (on racial unity) in the peninsula is usually focused on the three main races, namely the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians, and they only know a little about the Ibans and Kadazans even though there are many other races and tribes across the country. This is because the knowledge (about the other races) has always been deemed unimportant.
“As such, in the spirit of the New Malaysia, that perception must be changed and everyone must learn to understand the cultures and lifestyle of the multiracial and multi-religious society in Malaysia,” he told a press conference after being briefed on the roles and functions of the National Unity and Integration Department here today.
Waytha Moorthy said the ministerial post he now held through his senatorship gives him three years to strengthen racial unity and harmony in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the senator rapped certain netizens for insulting his guest at the swearing-in ceremony yesterday, some to the extent of calling the man a ghost.
He said such a perception was a result of ignorance of people who were unaware or had zero knowledge about other cultures and religions.
“His name is Arunachalanandaji, he is my brother who is now residing in India and has been dedicating most of his life propagating world peace.
“I think he has dedicated more than 30 years of his life for world peace, he is the most suitable man to grace my swearing-in,” said the chairman of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
Several photos of the mysterious man observing the swearing-in ceremony of Senators from the public gallery of the Dewan Negara went viral on social media yesterday. — Bernama
