TANAH RATA (Jan 21): The short campaign period for the Cameron Highlands by-election should not be used to bring up racial issues, stressed Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate M.Manogaran.

He said it was not worth disrupting the harmony among the people just to win the election.

“Do not be extremist, playing up racial issues, just to win the by-election,” he told reporters after visiting the Sri Subramanier Temple in conjunction with Thaipusam in Ringlet near here today.

He was commenting on a statement made by UMNO acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan in a speech in Sungai Koyan yesterday alleging that Malaysia under PH saw Malays and Islam ridiculed.

Mohamad who is former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar was reported to have described DAP as an “enemy” which has “no compassion for the Malays and Islam”.

Manogaran who is Pahang DAP deputy chairman said Mohamad as the topmost leader of Barisan Nasional (BN) should be an example to all communities.

He said what Mohamad said was a bad example to the younger generation in a country of multi-racial people.

"I call upon senior leaders of BN to be moderate because you also have Indian and Chinese parties as your component parties, it is really wrong. So I humbly request them to stop playing the racial card immediately," he said.