DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has slammed Communication and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek and other Umno leaders for their "Chinese bashing" over the past week, asking if it is a prelude to the coming Umno meet.

"The question many are asking is whether another ferocious bout of Chinese-bashing is in the works - just like the orgy of Chinese-bashing immediately after the 13th general elections," said Lim in his speech today.

He was referring to Shabery's ( right ) claim that Malays now feel unwelcome in an opposition-run state, insinuating DAP-held Penang, and Umno supreme council member Ibrahim Abu Shah warning that Malays may never rule again should BN lose power.

Lim said such remarks were "twisted, irresponsible, dangerous and wicked", and "calculated" to create havoc.

"These were variations of a constant theme of the rhetoric and politics of hatred, intolerance and extremism that has haunted Malaysia - that Malays and Islam are under siege, that the end of Umno rule would mean the end of Malay political power, that the Chinese are out to grab the political power of the Malays and make the Malays the 'refugees' in their own land, that the country would be turned into a Christian Malaysia - which are not only wild, baseless, far-fetched but downright mischievous, malicious, vile and seditious as calculated to cause maximum unrest and havoc in the country," he said.

Umno vice president and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirming that the upcoming Umno assembly will discuss the relevance of maintaining the Chinese school system , said Lim, is further evidence that race will take centrestage.

Lim, who is Gelang Patah MP, said it was therefore refreshing that in contrast to Umno leaders, Lembah Pantai MP and PKR vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar has launched her book ' Masa Depan, Masa Kita ' in Chinese.

"This is particularly significant as recent years have witnessed an unprecedented upsurge of the rhetoric and politics of hatred, intolerance and extremism causing the worst racial and religious polarization for over four decades.

"We must take heart that the voices of hatred, extremism and intolerance come from a raucous minority," he added in his speech for the launch of Nurul Izzah's book in Kuala Lumpur.