A Malay NGO based in Penang has concluded that the departure of former DAP vice-chairperson Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim from the DAP, is no loss to the Malay community.

Penang Malay Congress president Rahmad Isahak said on Tuesday that after reviewing Tunku's role in DAP and as a senator, the Malays should not waste their time talking about the latter's resignation from the party.

Tunku, he added, is not even fit to speak about politics or be a leader who represents the Malay interest even though he was in the Opposition party at the federal level.

A report in Utusan Malaysia on May 19, he stressed, clearly showed that Tunku's main intention in joining politics was to speak up against corruption and promote integrity in the civil and private sector.

NONE In that report, Tunku urged Malaysians to support the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, asking that he be given the opportunity and time to see his transformation programmes being implemented.

"So where is his integrity to fight for the plight of his own community, who are the Malays themselves?" asked Rahmad ( left ), who claims his NGO represents the 640,000-odd Malays in the state.

"As a Malay Muslim leader, who holds the third highest position in a political party, surely his priority is to see that the Malays are not used by the Malays themselves?" he queried.

"Without prejudice, we would like to state that Tunku's presence in opposition politics did not have an impact on the Malays whether at federal or state level," he stressed.

Last week, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that the senior leader's quitting from the party will not affect its attempts to win over Malay voters in next general election.

The Penang chief minister also remarked that the issue will not jeopardise the Chinese-dominant party in terms of shaping its multiracial image.

'Tunku, don't be a hypocrite'

Meanwhile, Rahmad said the majority of the Malays in Penang did not know Tunku until he made the statement on Bersih 3.0 recently, which earned him the ire of his party leadership.

Tunku was against the sit-in event on Apr 28 at the Dataran Merdeka, as he considered it illegal since a court order had been obtained to stop the election watchdog from holding a protest in in the venue.

NONE Rahmad said Tunku ( right ) should have made his views clear since Bersih 1.0 as suspicion is rife whether there was any hidden agenda behind his change of mind.

Rahmad added that Tunku was appointed senator under Penang's quota but it appears that he has not made any commitment to address the plight of the Malays in the state.

He stressed that Tunku should have rejected the post of a senatorship from the DAP from the beginning since his true love was to eradicate corruption and promote integrity at all levels.

Rahmad said Tunku never showed any intention to help the Malays and as a politician, he had disappointed the community.

"If he joined politics merely to hold a high post like DAP vice-chairperson or a senator but at the same time act irresponsibly to his own community, it is better for him to stay at home and feed his fishes, as that is his favourite hobby".

"As a true Malay Penangite, I have never felt he had put any effort to help the Malays in this state, so please do not be a hypocrite towards your own race.

"Such politicians, no matter which party they belong to, are a liability to their own race. It is our duty to reject such leaders," stressed Rahmad.