Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin continued to come under fire for harping on the issue of the Malays being allegedly marginalised in Penang. This time, it is from the opposition.

His remarks were described as being "hypocritical and discriminatory" by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today.

"For a millionaire Malay like Khairy, does he really know what it is like being poor and marginalised?" he asked during a press conference at the Parliament House.

The opposition politician was referring to Khairy, who is also Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law, having acquired RM9.2 million to purchase a stake in ECM Libra Bhd.

However, the 31-year-old Oxford graduate sold off his shares following intense political pressure.

Recently, Umno Youth called for the rotation of the Penang chief minister's post claiming that the state government - controlled by the predominantly Chinese-based Gerakan - had neglected the Malays in the state.

Why only Penang?

Meanwhile, Lim also cited a report in the Chinese daily Nanyang Siang Pau which said that Malay residents in Penang's Balik Pulau refuted Khairy's claim of the community being sidelined

He asked why the Umno Youth leader did not highlight the poverty in other poorer states such as Sabah (23 percent), Terengganu (15.4 percent) and Kelantan (10.6 percent), compared to Penang (0.3 percent).

Lim said if Khairy was sincere in wanting to help marginalised Malaysians and Malays, he should focus on the rising inflation and living costs as well as distribute the RM70 billion profits of the state-owned oil company Petronas to the people.

He also claimed that the Budget 2007 - tabled by the prime minister last Friday - had 'failed miserably' to address the issues faced by marginalised groups.

In another development, the prime minister, in a written parliamentary reply to Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) said the government will maintain the privileges enjoyed by the bumiputeras as provided under the Federal Constitution.

"The government will continue to maintain the special privileges of the Malays and bumiputeras in line with the social contract that had been agreed upon since independence and still in use until today," added Abdullah in the reply dated yesterday.

He said these privileges include posts in the civil service, the awarding of scholarships and assistance in education and business.

However, he said the privileges will be "implemented according to law" and other races will not be sidelined in the process.