Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik today ticked off Umno leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for playing up a racial issue when he called on the government yesterday not to allow more non-Malay schools and colleges to be built.

"Don't play unnecessary racial politics just to become a racial hero without considering the sensitivities of other races. Gerakan is not happy and does not agree with what he had said as reported in the paper," he said, referring to a front-page report in vernacular Chinese newspaper The China Press today.

The newspaper reported that the Malay Interest Congress Committee led by Razaleigh has strongly criticised the government's policy in allowing the setting up of non-Malay colleges including MCA-owned Tengku Abdul Rahman University.

Razaleigh allegedly made the statement at a two-day conference of the congress which began yesterday.

Lim stressed that politicians should be "careful about what they say" as Malaysia is a multiracial and multi-religious country.

"Malaysia is not a Malay country, not a Chinese country. It's also not an Indian, Kadazan, Iban country. Malaysia is a Malaysians' country....everyone should be looked after under the constitution," he told a press conference after chairing a Gerakan central comiitee meeting this afternoon.

Swallow bitter pill

On another matter, Lim called on the government to immediately set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) - one of the 125 recommendation by the Royal Police Commission in its report revealed in May this year.

He hoped the police would not take the recommendation as a police-bashing exercise but to improve the transparency and accountability of the force in the long term.

"I am a doctor. A bitter pill is very hard to swallow. But after you swallow it, it will do good to the patient," he said.

He cited a police chief from the Scotland Yard saying that "no police force in the world can police themselves".

"We urge the police and Inspector-General of Police to accept IPCMC," he said.

On the scandalous nude ear-squats video clip which sparked a public outcry , Lim said the party hoped the independent commission set up to probe the case would recommend sound police procedures in dealing with detainees in lock-ups.

"The public feel that a woman or a man should not be treated in such a way as to strip and do ear-squats," he said.

He said debates on whether the issue is a racial one or whether DAP parliamentarian Teresa Kok should be punished for exposing the scandal are all of secondary importance.

"The most important issue here should be the police procedures," Lim said.