KUCHING: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) does not believe in race politics, said its president Voon Lee Shan.
He said that due to race politics, the economy, religious freedom and democracy had been destroyed.
“What we have now is a country that has constant arguments and fights for supremacy. It is for this reason that this country could not, among other matters, come up with a sound education policy to move forward,” said Voon in a statement.
He added that English was first used in schools and government departments, and then it was replaced with the Malay language.
“Now, there are quarters who want to use English again, while those who believe in race supremacy want to continue using the Malay language. There are also those who want English, Malay and Mandarin to be used,” said Voon.
He stressed that for over 56 years, the experiments over the use of language had hindered Malaysia’s progress.
He also pointed out that in PBK, members of the party identified themselves as Sarawakians first.
“This is the race that we know in the party before identifying ourselves as other races.
“The term to describe, classify or identify the people of Sarawak as Malays, Chinese, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Orang Ulus, etc., is alien to us. The concept of multiracialism or racialism is not present in our vocabulary.
“To identify the people of Sarawak by races instead of just identifying them as Sarawakians first, will forever divide the people.
“Such description, classification or identification and the concept of multiracialism or racialism will perpetuate the segregation of the people of Sarawak and further perpetuate a divide and rule policy started by the British colonial masters,” said Voon.
He reiterated that the party wanted the best brains to run the party as well as the country.
“We cannot rely on dead wood to run the party and the country as the concept of multiracialism and/or racialism had in the past 56 years failed this country in many aspects.”
