Those who disagree with the 25 Malay former top civil servants’ open letter on Monday should pen a counter argument, not spout vitriol, Global Movement of Moderates chief executive officer Saifuddin Abdullah said.

The open letter, which among others urges Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to show leadership against festering intolerance, has faced harsh criticism from right wing groups Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) and Perkasa.

"There is no need to be like Isma who said the former civil servants are expired and should just go to mosques. This is not the Islamic way to disagree with others.

"There is also no need to be like Perkasa who asked what their contribution is to Malays. They have served the country and its people," Saifuddin said in a Facebook posting.

On his part, Saifuddin, who is also former deputy higher education minister said he agrees with the open letter.

"The content is very good," he said.

Is Najib brave enough?

Also supportive is Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who said that it is a wake up call for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

He said the call for a dialogue and moderation shows the PM failed in practicing what he preaches by allowing extremism on his home ground.

Lim (right) said blaming non-Malays for Malay strife is a distraction from economic hardship faced by all Malaysians.

"Resorting to racist and extremist postures may help Umno and BN in the short-term but does irreparable damage to national unity and integration in the long term.

"(This is done) without solving the mounting financial burdens faced by ordinary Malaysians – where a shocking Human Development report revealed that 90 percent of working Malaysians have no savings to rely on in an emergency," he said.

Najib must overcome this by choosing lieutenants who are brave enough to confront such problems without buckling to extremist pressures.

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