No more race riots in KL because of property ownership - Dr M
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has attributed peace between the races in Kuala Lumpur to equitable property ownership between them.
He said racial differences on their own would not lead to violence if there wasn't any wealth inequality.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has attributed peace between the races in Kuala Lumpur to equitable property ownership between them.
He said racial differences on their own would not lead to violence if there wasn't any wealth inequality.
"In 1969, the rioters believed that everything in the city belonged to the other people, but today many of the owners in the city are of their own race.
"With that, if they riot, their own race will be the victims. That is why, since May 1969, there have been no (race) riots in Kuala Lumpur," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today while debating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's address.
Race riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur on May 13, 1969, after opposition parties paraded in KL and hurled racist jibes prompting a violent response.
In 2001, a race riot also broke out in Kampung Medan, Selangor, part of greater Kuala Lumpur, sparked by a clash between a group of Malays attending a wedding and another group of Tamils attending a funeral ceremony.
Mahathir said more needed to be done, however, to reduce wealth inequality between the races. Not acknowledging that this problem existed, he said, could lead to further racial polarisation.
One way forward he said, was to use the results of the national census to come up with a plan to identify the differences between the races and what could be done to overcome them.
He added that he hoped the government would continue with Pakatan Harapan's Shared Prosperity Vision (SPV) 2030, a programme meant to address wealth disparity among the races.
On another matter, Mahathir defended the government's clampdown on undocumented migrants.
"Many illegal immigrants cause problems, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"They are afraid to identify themselves because they will be sent back. But they need to be identified so they do not become a Covid-19 cluster.
"Foreigners accuse us of being harsh with migrants. But Europe, the US and India are far harsher," he said.
However, the Langkawi MP said the government should not act against international broadcaster Al-Jazeera - which had reported on government action taken against undocumented migrants.
"It is better if we submit a report on our treatment of migrants," he said without elaborating.
Mahathir said there was an influx of migrants in Malaysia because they were treated well in this country.
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