ID :
24227
Mon, 10/13/2008 - 18:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/24227
The shortlink copeid
PM CLARIFIES PROPOSAL FOR DIRECT MEMBERSHIP TO BN
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on
Monday clarified that he never suggested that all component parties in Barisan
Nasional (BN) be abolished and replaced with a single multiracial party.
Instead, the prime minister said, he had merely proposed that the BN find
ways to include a group of Malaysians who wanted to participate in the party
without joining any racial-based component party.
"I never suggested that component parties must be abolished. What I
suggested was that we must also respond to the needs of certain people who want
to be associated with the BN, they like to interact with the BN and feel that it
truly reflects a multi-racial party.
"So my response to that is to give them the opportunity to be a direct
member of the BN. We create a forum, a club, a branch or whatever we want to
call it, so there'll be component parties and there 'll be this new group," said
Abdullah, who is also the BN chairman.
He was responding to Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek's statement
on Saturday that the setting up of a single multiracial party was akin to
abolishing Umno.
Explaining further, Abdullah, the Umno president, said this group of
members
would provide the BN with their views on various issues, as Malaysians and not
based on their races.
"Can you imagine, for example, somebody from a Chinese party like MCA or
Gerakan standing up and talking from the perspective of their community, and
from that group one says 'well, I belong to the community but my stand is this,"
said Abdullah.
He said that at the same time, it would provide the component parties a
platform to explain to the group about their boundaries and limitations while
representing the interests of each community.
"This group will also provide us new approaches, new thinking, and bring to
our attention some of the multiracial concerns that we may not be aware of. So I
think it's very good," he said.
However, he said, he could not see the BN as a single multiracial party in
the near future although there were changes happening in the party.
Thiswas due to differences in the values of each community which demanded
respect and understanding from each other, he added.
Monday clarified that he never suggested that all component parties in Barisan
Nasional (BN) be abolished and replaced with a single multiracial party.
Instead, the prime minister said, he had merely proposed that the BN find
ways to include a group of Malaysians who wanted to participate in the party
without joining any racial-based component party.
"I never suggested that component parties must be abolished. What I
suggested was that we must also respond to the needs of certain people who want
to be associated with the BN, they like to interact with the BN and feel that it
truly reflects a multi-racial party.
"So my response to that is to give them the opportunity to be a direct
member of the BN. We create a forum, a club, a branch or whatever we want to
call it, so there'll be component parties and there 'll be this new group," said
Abdullah, who is also the BN chairman.
He was responding to Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek's statement
on Saturday that the setting up of a single multiracial party was akin to
abolishing Umno.
Explaining further, Abdullah, the Umno president, said this group of
members
would provide the BN with their views on various issues, as Malaysians and not
based on their races.
"Can you imagine, for example, somebody from a Chinese party like MCA or
Gerakan standing up and talking from the perspective of their community, and
from that group one says 'well, I belong to the community but my stand is this,"
said Abdullah.
He said that at the same time, it would provide the component parties a
platform to explain to the group about their boundaries and limitations while
representing the interests of each community.
"This group will also provide us new approaches, new thinking, and bring to
our attention some of the multiracial concerns that we may not be aware of. So I
think it's very good," he said.
However, he said, he could not see the BN as a single multiracial party in
the near future although there were changes happening in the party.
Thiswas due to differences in the values of each community which demanded
respect and understanding from each other, he added.
