DAP has warned de facto Law Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz not to threaten non-Malays with sedition each time they voice the concerns of their community.

rela civil suit shooting death 130906 a sivanesan DAP national labour bureau chief A Sivanesan said today: “Non-Malays are also citizens and have the right to question any shortcomings in the government administration that might affect their basic rights as citizens of this nation.”

The Perak DAP vice-chairperson was commenting on a media report that Nazri wants to take action under Section 4 of the Sedition Act against Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC) president A Rajaratnam for saying that, of the 1,500 Public Services Department (PSD) scholarships awarded, 1,200 went to bumiputeras, while Indians received only 136 and the rest went to the Chinese community.

Sivanesan said Nazri, as the law minister, should explain to the public if the Rajaratnam statement was incorrect instead of threatening him with the Sedition Act.

He said Nazri’s stand goes against the very grain of the 1Malaysia concept by premier Najib Abdul Razak whereby all Malaysians are treated as equals.

“DAP challenges Nazri to prosecute Rajaratnam under the Sedition Act as we have a panel of trained lawyers to defend him,” Sivanesan, who is a lawyer and the Sungkai assemblyperson.

“In fact we are ready to defend anyone charged under this Act, irrespective of his race,” he pointed out.

“Gone are the days when BN ruled as the master of suppression of information. My advice to Nazri is to change with the times instead of living in the 1980s and 1990s when BN had absolute political power.”

Changes in equation

The vocal DAP leader said that, prior to 2008, the party was made to understand that 90 percent of PSD scholarships went to bumiputeras while the remaining went to non-Malays.

After the March 2008 general election, bumiputeras were given 55 percent while non-Malays received 45 percent.

However, the equation further changed this year with 80 percent to bumiputeras and the rest to non-Malays.

Sivanesan claimed that there are about 10,000 education scholarships awarded by government-linked companies, Petronas, Mara and banks.

However, he said it seems like many of these were awarded to children of the well-connected rather than to the deserving.

He suggested that the government advertises in the media the names of the successful candidates, so that children of the rich can be weeded out and replaced by those in need.