.jpg "Patriot president Brig Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji speaks during a press conference in Subang July 24, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 ― The Umno president's reminder to all parties not to “disturb” the Constitution with regards Islam, the Malay rulers and Malay language is baffling, said Brig Gen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji.
The president of the National Patriot Association (Patriot) said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has become overly concerned about the issues he raised “when in fact no party, especially the non-Malays, has ever questioned the Federal Constitution relating to those issues mentioned ever since the constitution was first adopted.”
In a statement to the media, Mohamed Arshad stated that any questions about those issues were most probably raised by Malay pressure groups including Umno.
He cited a recent case where a member of the Kedah royal family criticised the state of affairs of Malay rulers which was met “with total silence from the Malay pressure groups and Umno leaders.”
“Had the criticism been from a non-Malay it would be a foregone conclusion that a hellfire torment would be unleashed from the pressure groups and Umno,” he added.
As such, Mohamed Arshad said the statement by Zahid Hamidi was a diversionary tactic “aimed to keep a dying party relevant through its pretence to defend Islam, race and the rightful position of the rulers.”
At the same time, the Patriot president reiterated the association's position that “issues of race, religion and the rulers as spelled out in the Federal Constitution are sacrosanct, and are not to be questioned.”
