No Bangsa in Constitution, says Najib

• By Ravi Nambiar and This drew a response from Ger- differences among the races. "They are, in fact, echoing the The state, which is also the Siti Nurbaiyah Nadzmi akan party chief Datuk Seri Dr Lim "If we accept this and avoid concept of 'Malaysia for Malay- birthplace of Umno, has tradition- [email protected] Keng Yaik, who said Johor Umno polemics on definition, we can sians' that was advocated by Lee ally been the bastion of political was going against government avoid arousing controversies," he Kuan Yew before 's sep- strength in the country. JOHOR BARU: Bangsa Malaysia policy. said. aration from Malaysia. This was Meanwhile, Najib, speaking to only refers to the "state of mind" of "Johor Umno can say what they Ghani also spoke again yester- the same concept that was later the delegates yesterday, said the being a Malaysian and is not a pol- want. It is their right to do so. (But) day on Bangsa Malaysia, reaffirm- championed by the DAP. proposed Inter-Faith Commission icy spelled out in the Constitution. Bangsa Malaysia is a policy of the ing Johor Umno's position that it "But the government has reject- (IFC) would never be established Deputy Prime Minister Datuk government. We (Gerakan) are referred to a "rojak" (a mishmash) ed it from the start. It was never because it was an affront to Islam. Seri said all quarters supporting the policy of the gov- of races in the country and was accepted. It is not in the Constitu- "When the Prime Minister said should cease trying to define the ernment," said Dr Lim. "ultra vires" (beyond the power) of tion," he said. the setting up of the IFC had been term. At its national delegates' confer- the Constitution. Besides Bangsa Malaysia, an- postponed, he was being diplo- "It cannot be defined because ence in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 4, The concept is seen as a threat other talking point among the del- matic. IFC will never be allowed as there is no such thing as Bangsa Gerakan had adopted a resolution to and their special posi- egates was the government's mer- it goes against the status of Islam Malaysia in the Constitution," he urging Malaysians to promote the tion as provided for in the Consti- itocracy system, the use of English as the official religion of the coun- said when closing the two-day Jo- creation of a Bangsa Malaysia un- tution. for the teaching of Science and try," he said. hor Umno Convention here. der Vision 2020. Ghani said there was no need to Mathematics in schools, the de- Referring to education, he said Johor party chief Datuk Abdul Najib, who picked up the issue in reinvent a national identity when clining role of Bahasa Melayu as the minister concerned, Datuk Ghani Othman had sparked a po- his speech here yesterday, insisted the Constitution had defined the the language of knowledge, and Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, was litical debate on Monday when he that Bangsa Malaysia was only a races that make up the citizens of economic opportunities for Bumi- compiling a study on the effective- said people who advocated Bang- general concept. this country. puteras under the recently- ness of English as the medium of sa Malaysia were going against the "There is no need to define it in "Johor Umno is not going launched Iskandar Development language for the teaching of Math- Constitution. Ghani said the con- detail, amend the Constitution or against government policy by Region. ematics and Science. cept was unacceptable and could review government policy. harping on this. Bangsa Malaysia Johor Umno, with nearly He said the study would be com- unsettle political stability in the "I am more inclined to view has been misinterpreted and is be- 500,000 members in 2,032 pleted by 2008. "We will then de- country if pushed by groups with Bangsa Malaysia as a state of mind ing manipulated by some quarters branches, is the biggest state Um- cide if we should continue or abort vested interests. to eradicate social prejudices and for their own political motives. no in the country. the programme," he said.