Claiming comments taken out of context, Zahid says only DAP arrogant

Some parties, including from the Barisan Nasional, have called for Zahid (pic) to be censured. - The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, September 2, 2014.Backtracking from his earlier comment that non-Muslims were becoming increasingly arrogant, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today that the majority of the group were in fact moderates who are respectful of other races.

The Home Minister also claimed that he would not endorse those who made provocative remarks against non-Muslims and warned of police action against those who did.

In a report in The Star, Zahid claimed that his earlier quotes had been taken out of context as he had aimed his remarks at DAP leaders and supporters.

He said that DAP showed no respect towards Malays as evidenced in the comments made by the party and its supporters, particularly in social media and pro-opposition news portals.

English daily The Sun had today quoted Zahid as saying that non-Muslims are becoming increasingly arrogant and that the Malays are now paying the price for being kind too them.

In the report, the Umno vice-president said, as a result, the non-Malays are insulting the bumiputera, royalty and Islam.
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"We allowed them to be indebted to us without needing them to pay it back. They are now insulting Islam and the Malays under the pretense of democracy, freedom of speech, and globalisation," he was quoted as saying by the paper while opening the Segambut Umno division meeting yesterday.

His comments fueled the outrage of his Barisan Nasional colleagues from component parties such as Gerakan, MCA and MIC who slammed him for worsening race relations in Malaysia.

Gerakan Youth deputy chief Andy Yong has even called for Zahid to be charged with sedition.

However, Zahid, in an attempt to ease tensions, denied that BN was racist as it had non-Malay component parties, pointing out its "power sharing approach" and "consensus-making" as the ruling coalition's measure of success.

“But it cannot be denied that DAP supporters had taken a different approach with their arrogant method of politicking,” he was quoted as saying by The Star.

- TMI