KUALA LUMPUR: Former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz hit out at leaders yesterday who “play the race card” in order to avoid addressing issues raised by concerned Malaysians.

In her Facebook post yesterday, Rafidah said the “mess” facing Malaysia had nothing to do with race, but governance, transparency and integrity.

“These are truly uneasy times. Some people seem to AVOID the REAL issues and prefer to choose the easiest way out ... play the racial card ... point fingers and play the blame game ... play the numbers game to give the impression of [the] ‘strength’ of support.

“In the process, the ISSUES that the rakyat are worried about, and want to see expeditious resolution to, are being simply marginalised ... AND SKIRTED AROUND,” she wrote yesterday.

She said Malaysians are worried about issues related to the running of the country, economic governance and the trustworthiness of those in power.

“I would like to remind that the ISSUES we are being confronted with have NOTHING to do with [the] race of groups or whatever,” she wrote, highlighting some words in the post in capital letters to emphasise her points.

Rafidah also criticised the proposed red-shirt Sept 16 rally, saying that it serves no purpose and gives mixed messages.

“Just WHAT are they trying to prove? Are they implying that it is all OK that we are facing the mess ... that they SUPPORT the actions that have led to the national embarrassment?

“That they condone what the leaders have done?” asked Rafidah.

She said Sept 16, which is Malaysia Day, should see Malaysians united in diversity, adding that the planned rally “goes totally counter to that”.

She warned that it could create more chasms and divisiveness, and suggested that the Malays organise prayer sessions to save the country. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in digitaledge Daily, on September 7, 2015.