Tue, June 2 2009 - KUALA LUMPUR: Racially slanted statements are unacceptable and it is against the 1Malaysia concept, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

 

Calling on the people to refrain from using inflammatory words that could create unnecessary problems, he said Malaysians must treasure existing good inter-racial relations.

 

Muhyiddin said this when asked to comment on the term “pendatang” (immigrant) published in a Malay daily on May 31.

 

Stressing that he was not aware of the matter, Muhyiddin said he would investigate the claim.

 

The statement in the daily read “Di manakah anda boleh mendapat layanan politik yang baik untuk kaum pendatang?” (Where can you find a place where immigrants get such good political treatment?)

 

Suggesting that it could be a mere human error, Muhyiddin said it was important not to take sides.

 

“If it is true, we must investigate,’’ he reiterated.

 

Muhyiddin said the rights of those who have been accorded citizenship were enshrined in law.

 

“There must be tolerance and understanding. We are talking about 1Malaysia now,’’ he said.