CM to BN Youth leaders from Malaya:Speak up against extremism in Malaya

KUCHING, Nov 22, 2014: Chief Minister Adenan Satem had directly told Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth leaders from Malaya to speak up against racial and religious extremism, and not keeping quiet about it.

While Sarawakians are proud of its history of untarnished racial and religious harmony, Malaya is not. The rise of extremist groups, like Perkasa and Isma in Malaya, is a cause for concern. Racial riot broke out in Malaya in 1969, but not in Sarawak and Sabah.

Sarawak has banned religious bigots and racists like Ibrahim Ali, Zulkifli Nordin and Abdullah Jaik from entering the state.

Adenan (picture, left) must be referring to these extremist groups when he asked the BN Youth leaders including Umno Youth leader, to speak up against extremism.

“I am glad to say in Sarawak we don’t have the problem of extremism. Maybe you people from Malaya have something to learn from us," he said at the opening of the BN Youth retreat here last night.

"In Sarawak, we have the same family who are Christians, Muslims and Buddhists under the same roof. They don’t quarrel and get together very well.

“Maybe because we are blessed people, I don’t know. But the danger of extremism is looming and it is for us, the moderates, to speak up for moderation. We are the majority and cannot be silenced for the fanatics and extremists don’t speak for the country," he said.

 He told BN Youth leaders that they must be forceful and assertive against extremism and work towards moderation  because it is proven that moderate approaches to politics has sustained Malaysia for the last two or three generations.

“We have no other alternatives. I don’t like people using ‘pendatang’. We don’t speak like that in Sarawak. We are all Malaysians.

"We try to get on with each other. After all, we live under the same roof and the same sun,” he added.

Adenan, also state BN chairman, pointed out the world became a worse place not because the minority did not do enough but the majority did nothing.

He said Malaysians could not afford to be extremists given their diversity in terms of race, culture and religion, adding BN had been able to rule the country because its leaders remained moderate.

Adenan also enlightened BN Youth leaders on the history of Malaysia.

He said it was wrong for anyone to say Sarawak joined Malaysia since Malaysia did not exist before the signing of an agreement in 1963.

He said Sarawak’s forefathers made a good decision over 50 years ago to join other states including Northern Borneo and the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia.

“I have lived in this country nearly all my 70 years, and I have seen what life was some 30 years ago and during the British Colonial, there were only 20 to 30 miles of road.

“In my time, there were only two Malays in Form Six throughout the whole of Sarawak, and only 30% could go to secondary school. This was in urban areas, whereas in rural areas only 2% to 3%. The standard of living was poor.

“As for now, I don’t have to tell you. You can see with your own eyes. So we have made a good decision," he said.