BN and Opposition leaders slam Hadi Awang

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition political leaders have chided PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for his vision of a Malaysian Cabinet line-up consisting only of Malays.
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said the PAS leader's stance was merely to win over Malay-Muslim votes and to gain "political ownership" of the community.
"PAS has never been ashamed or apologetic that they are Islam-centric. In fact, they are now courageously and arrogantly displaying their political intent to capture and optimise their votes from the largely Malay Muslims constituencies that they are going to contest in.
"PAS assertion of a Muslim cabinet is to embarrass Umno. They are painting a picture that Umno has compromised or caved in to Non-Muslims by adopting a multi-racial approach in a largely Malay and Muslim dominant nation," Ti said in a statement.
MIC treasurer-general Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari also shared the same sentiment, adding that Malaysia's leadership requires the participation of various ethnic groups in key positions.
Veel Paari said Malaysian minorities should not be "penalised and sidelined" from the country's administration due to differences in race and religion.
"As an example, MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam, who is a medical practitioner, is qualified to develop policies related to the health industry which is inclusive of both Muslims and non-Muslims.
"In the end, the well-being of the rakyat is of paramount importance," Vell Paari said in a statement.
Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said Hadi's "seditious" and "dangerous" statement is unconstitutional and will lead to the dissolution of Malaysia.
"Hadi's exclusive Malay-Muslim Cabinet is clearly unconstitutional as it reduces non-Malays to citizens of inferior status with diminished rights.
"By taking such a hard-line extremist and racist position, Hadi will not only frighten off Sabah and Sarawak but may even lead to the breakup of Malaysia as a nation into Muslim Malay sections and non-Malay Muslims, non-Malays sections," he said.
In his latest column in PAS mouthpiece Harakahdaily, he said Islam had outlined that a national leader and his Cabinet members must profess the Islamic faith and be from the most influential race.
"But, Islam also provides rights to non-Muslims on the aspects of politics, economy and other affairs of life," he said.