Media statement by Teresa Kok Suh Sim in Shah Alam on Friday, 10^th June 2011:

The test on whether Najib is sincere in implementing his"1 Malaysia" policy is whether he'll abolish race column from all government forms

The National Registration Department's (NRD) refusal to allow ADUN Subang Jaya Hannah Yeoh and her husband Ramachandran Muniandy to register their daughter as an "anak Malaysia" proves yet again that Prime Minister Najib's supposedly inclusive 1Malaysia is mere political propaganda with no substance whatsoever.

For all Najib's extravagant 1Malaysia advertising and logos liberally plastered all over government uniforms, government buildings and election freebies, it is all meaningless because when it comes to actual policy, Najib does not practise what he preaches which is a united Malaysia where all Malaysian are equal.

If Najib genuinely believed in 1Malaysia, he would have long instructed NRD and his entire government to stop categorising Malaysians as "Melayu", "Cina", "Indian", or "Dan lain-lain". These are labels that Barisan Nasional imposes upon Malaysians from birth, denying us from self-identifying ourselves and each other as being simply Malaysian for their selfish political expediency.

I therefore urge Najib to prove his sincerity towards 1Malaysia by abolishing the race column from all government forms.

I commend Hannah and Ramanchandran for living their conviction that their child is Malaysian, and should be recognised as Malaysian as such.

I condemn the cruel and personal attacks upon them and their family by Barisan Nasional cyber troopers who accuse them of being racists when they need only look in the mirror to see true racism.

* Teresa Kok Suh Sim, DAP National Organizing Secretary, Selangor State Senior EXCO for Investment, Industry & Trade & MP for Seputeh