ABDULLAH: UMNO SHOULD AVOID RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Thursday reminded United Malays National Organisation (Umno) members against
adopting racial and religious positions that are extremist in safeguarding the
position of the Malays and the Bumiputras (sons of the soil) in the country.

"UMNO must never practice discrimination to the extent that non-Malays view
it as a racist party. The rights of every citizen must always be protected,
guaranteed and respected, as provided by the Constitution and as encapsulated in
the Malaysian national ideology.

"The loyalty of every Malaysian citizen irrespective of race must always be
appreciated in the spirit of power sharing and friendship," he said when
delivering his last policy speech as Umno president at the 2008 Umno general
assembly at the Putra World Trade Cenetre (PWTC), here. Umno is the dominant
party in Malaysia's ruling National Front, and has been in power since
independence in 1957.

In his speech themed "The Future and Survival of the Party", Abdullah said
Malaysians were conscious of the fact that a long time ago, they had already
reached agreement that they would sink or swim together.

"Let us concentrate on the commonalities that unite us, rather than the
differences that can divide us," he said.

The Umno president said he fully appreciated the role that Malaysian
citizens had played in ensuring the peace and progress of the nation.

In almost 52 years of independence, the country had undergone numerous
trials and the people had been united in facing them, enabling Malaysia to
become a prosperous and successful nation.

He said the nation was facing the most alarming economic challenge since
independence to overcome a deepening economic crisis to lessen the burden of the
people.

Abdullah said the extraordinary uniqueness that had become the backbone of
UMNO's true might was its ability to pioneer and foster cooperation between the
races that was truly meaningful.

It began with the UMNO-MCA partnership, followed by MIC to form the ALLIANCE
that was later expanded into the BARISAN NASIONAL (National Front), he said. MCA
(Malaysian Chinese Association) and MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) are among
the National Front's component parties.

He said other attempts to foster inter-communal cooperation, such as efforts
by the Independence of Malaya Party and Parti Negara ended in failure. The
Malaysian Convention Party did not succeed, and neither did the formation of a
Socialist Front through the merger of the People's Party and the Labour Party.

"Today, the Opposition Pact is earnestly attempting to imitate UMNO's
successful copyrighted formula for cooperation. Although they are still enjoying
their honeymoon period, visible cracks are beginning to show in their union," he
added.
-- BERNAMA