Penang Malays are at a critical stage as 7,000 people from 60 kampungs face the possibility of losing their homes as the land belong to others.

Penang delegate Mohamad Farid Saad said this was the feedback Penang Umno received from the 13 Umno division chiefs.

"The DAP state government is too much. It has opened up gazetted land for development like a padi lot in Sungai Burung and part of Taman Negeri.

"I believe more will follow suit. This abuse of power must be stopped," he said when debating the president's address at Umno general assembly today.

Farid said what happened in Penang was mass eviction via policy, physically and psychologically.

"The chauvinist party is creating chaos to racial unity in Malaysia and has to be checked."

He said the federal government has the power to prevent gazetting of land in environmentally sensitives areas in all the states.

"If not, it will hasten the eviction of Malays. Only 20.41 percent of land in Penang and Seberang Perai is owned by Malays," he added.

Malays own only 1.16 percent land in Timur Laut, 15.07 percent (Balik Pulau), 44.2 percent (Seberang Perai) , 23.5 percent (Seberang Perai Tengah) and 18.09 percent (Seberang Perai Selatan).

Farid urged Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to symphatise with the plight of Penang Malays.

"The Malays are Muslims. Without the Malays, there will be no azan and mosques will be deserted."

He said the Malays had been in Penang for a long time as proven by notes of Sir Francis Light who landed at Tanjung Penaga in 1786, four days after meeting 33 Malays led by Datuk Jannatun.

Suspend media

An Umno delegate from Kedah today urged the government to immediately suspend those media which have been arousing racial

sentiments as this could disrupt unity in the country.

Othman Aziz said if these irresponsible media were allowed to continue to do this, their action could also threaten the country's economic and political stability.

"We want the Home Ministry headed by Hishammuddin Hussein to be more stern on this issue.

"Irresponsible publications must be suspended immediately. (There's) no need to investigate because we've heard enough about investigations to be carried out but nothing came out of it.

"That's why these irresponsible media have become even bolder, causing the people to be confused about what the government is trying to do," he said when debating on the party president's policy speech at the Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur today.

- Bernama