Umno’s differential treatments of two separate ‘tudung incidents’ shows that it is only interested in using race and religion for political mileage at the expense of national harmony, argued Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin.

 

On one hand, she said Umno had been silent when one Muslim woman, Mira Kamil, was turned away when she tried to apply for a job at least four retail outlets at Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, for wearing a tudung (headscarf).

 

The incident last September was later verified by Harian Metro’s undercover reporters equipped with hidden cameras.

 

On the other hand, Umno has strongly condemned a recent incident at SRJK (C) Nan Ya, Johor, where a school board member threatened a Muslim teacher to remove her headscarf.

Despite a public apology from the school and reports that the teacher accepts the apology with hopes that ‘issue will not be further sensationalised’, Umno is still calling the board member to be punished .

In contrast, Yeo ( right ) pointed out that DAP had spoken up for the women involved in both incidents.

 

“If Umno is really the defender of Islam, why did they keep quiet in the face of multinational companies last September and only dare to make noise when it’s ordinary Malaysians? Why one Malaysia (but) two standards?

 

“This shows that Umno is using race and religion to milk political mileage at the expense of national harmony,” she said in a statement today.

 

She added that racial polarisation in Malaysia can only be solved with mutual respect and dialogue, not by going on the offence.

 

“Since we are policy makers albeit from different political divides, we should base our arguments on facts and laws and not on emotions and provocations.

 

“Malaysia will be a much better place if Umno can grow up and rise above race and religion in their arguments on national issues,” she said.