The former prime minister shrugged off criticisms, pointing out that it was common for anyone to ignore the interests of others when trying to get their way.
“This country, everybody is racist. Now, everybody talks about his own interest, doesn’t care about other people’s interest.
“So let’s not hide and say we are not racist,” the straight-talking politician told a press conference today.
“All of them, the people who say I’m racist, they are racist because they say I’m racist,” he added, with a smile.
Dr Mahathir was responding to BN’s “doublespeak” regarding the outcome of support for PAS and DAP, following MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s debate with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng last weekend.
Dr Chua had warned the Chinese community against supporting DAP, claiming a vote for the secular, majority Chinese party would only empower Islamist PAS.
Separately, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak suggested to a gathering of Islamic religious scholars the following day that a vote for PAS would empower DAP, which he implied would be disastrous for Muslims and Islam in Malaysia.
“Even if we vote for that faction, it is the one who sleeps in the same bed with them that will profit,” he said during his luncheon address at “Himpunan Ulama, Cendekiawan Islam dan Penulis Maya” here.
“The Chinese held a debate on ‘Chinese at the crossroads’. Muslims, too, are at a crossroads, more so since the general election is not far off. We must choose, and the one we choose must be able to guarantee the honour and purity Islam.”
Najib’s remarks were later criticised by opposition leaders, who said it showed the prime minister had turned his back on his 1 Malaysia unity pledge for race politics.
“Najib has definitely abandoned all pretences for reform or transformation. It’s back to the old realpolitik of race, religion and money,” PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli told The Malaysian Insider.
He said it was “amusing” that Barisan Nasional (BN) still resorted to old divide-and-rule tactics in an age where voters have greater access to information, and suggested that the ruling coalition was in “panic mode” as elections loom.
