Perhaps it's personal for Dr M, says disappointed unity minister

Aaron Ago Dagang is disappointed and confused. He is at loss how someone who was prime minister for 22 years could make divisive remarks or what prompted him to do so.

“Maybe he has personal issues, we don’t know,” he told reporters at the sidelines of an event in Putrajaya this afternoon.

However, the national unity minister vowed not to compromise with those who create racial tensions.

“If he (Mahathir) is still stubborn, we will meet him,” he said, responding to the 98-year-old former prime minister casting aspersions on the loyalty of Indian Malaysians. 

Aaron also assured that there is no cause for alarm over the state of racial unity in Malaysia.

“Problems arise when certain individuals try to raise sensitive issues.

“(The unity level) is fine in Sarawak, and still under control in Sabah. There’s only a slight problem in Peninsular Malaysia,” he added.

‘Mahathir knows no loyalty’

In a recent interview with Indian satellite TV channel Thanthi TV, Mahathir claimed that Malaysian Indians still identify with their country of origin and are not completely loyal to Malaysia.

According to him, a Malaysian should identify as Malay in order to have the right to call the country their own.

Mahathir’s remarks led to a firestorm of protests, including those aligned with Perikatan Nasional.

Gerakan has vowed to pressure PN to condemn the statement and will raise the issue during the coalition’s meeting this week.

MIC president SA Vigneswaran said Mahathir had no right to raise this question since the concept of loyalty is alien to him.

“Loyalty is a concept which has nothing to do with him, he was not loyal to Umno, he was not loyal to Bersatu and he was not loyal to Pakatan Harapan which made him prime minister in 2018,” he added.

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