Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 9^th June 2011: 

1Malaysia another empty slogan when being a Malay first, Chinese first or Indian first is more important than Malaysian first 

The sorry spectacle of the National Registration Department (NRD) refusing to allow DAP State Assemblywoman for Subang Jaya Hannah Yeoh and her husband Ramachandran Muniandy to register her new born child as 'Anak Malaysia' as an official ethnicity, shows that 1Malaysia. Clearly BN is so racist that being a Malay First, Chinese, First or Indian First is more important than being a Malaysian First.

DAP is proud of both Hannah and Ramachandran for living and practicing DAP's Malaysian Malaysia and Malaysian First spirit that we are all inextricably bound together by our common destiny as one nation. By deliberately forcing us into ethnic boxes BN is not celebrating diversity nor creating a common Malaysian identity, but opportunistically playing divide and rule politics.

We should look beneath the different colours of our skin and discover that our blood is red. We should look past one's enthnicity and discover our common Malaysian heritage. We should look beyond one's race and discover that we are all members of the human race.

Full support for Hannah and Ramachandran's quest for their child to be simply known as Malaysians

Forcing Hannah and Ramachandran to choose either Indian or Chinese is repugnant when they just want their child to be known as Malaysian. Hannah and Ramachandran has striven to let Malaysians see that we should never allow BN to corrupt young minds with obsolete and dangerous racist ideology that one's child is never good enough and must be forever dependant on the tongkat or that they will never be rewarded for their good performances no matter how deserving they are just because they come from a certain race.

DAP would give full support to Hannah and Ramachandran's quest for their child to be simply known as Malaysians. If both wants to pursue in court, I have directed DAP National Legal Advisory Committee Chair and MP for Puchong Sdr Gobind Singh to handle the case.

Ultimately, it is not who we are that is important, but what we are that is important; not the colour of our skin that is important but the content of our character; and not our past ancestry that is important but how we connect with the present and with each other to face the future.

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan