Speech by M.Kula Segaran at the Indian ceramah held in Malacca on Friday, 20^th May 2011:

DAP will continue to demand that the Interlok novel which has hurt the Malaysian community's feelings to be withdrawn as a school text

Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib launched the 1 Malaysia concept and slogan more than a year ago.

This concept is basically about ensuring fairness for all and forging the people's unity.

While BN has been successful in publicising this slogan, 1 Malaysia slogan still rings hollow because the BN government cannot walk the talk.

Unfair policies which have been in place for decades still remain unchanged despite BN having suffered its worst electoral defeat in the 2008 general election.

A good example is the continued lack of fair treatment to Tamil schools.

1 Malaysia concept stresses on unity but can Najib proudly say that the nation's ethnic relation is at its best of times since we achieved Independence from the British?

The truth is that the nation's ethnic relation is at one of its lowest ebbs today.

The BN government must take the rap for such a situation.

The BN government talked about zero tolerance against racism yet when school principals uttered derogatory racial slurs against Chinese and (Indian students, they got away with lenient penalty.

Utusan Malaysia has been indulging in irresponsible reporting which can cause racial misunderstanding, tension and hatred in the nation and yet no action has been taken against it.

Recently, Perkasa chief made the seditious speech about launching a crusade, yet the Home Minister has chosen inaction as the answer.

BN government cannot get its priorities right. It lacks the will to do what is right.

Worse, it is not prepared to listen to legitimate voices of the people.

This is why till today the BN government has still not decided to withdraw the offensive Interlock novel from the schools in spite of the fact that the novel's contents have especially hurt the Indian community and will sow the seeds of racial misunderstanding among the young.

If the government is serious about 1 Malaysia concept and the civil servants have understood this concept, the novel would not have been introduced as a school text in the first place.

It is ridiculous and irresponsible even for the Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin to say that the Interlock issue is over when the truth is otherwise.

May be the Indian voter support for BN in the recent Tenang and Merlimau by elections have made Muhyiddin to think that Interlok is no longer an important issue to the Indian community.

Perhaps the MIC has convinced the BN leaders that the Interlok issue will not hurt BN in the next general election.

DAP will continue to demand that the Interlok novel which has hurt the Indian community's feelings and that of the Malay and Chinese to be withdrawn as a school text.

If the BN government is not willing to do what is right but continue to ignore the calls and feelings of the Indian community, then the Indian voters must once again teach the BN a lesson in the coming general election, just like what they did to BN in the 2008 general election.

* M. Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman & MP for Ipoh Barat