Not right for Tun M to raise racial issues - Ramanan

KUALA LUMPUR - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should not have raised sensitive issues touching on race in the country, said Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Datuk R. Ramanan.

He said it was wrong of the former prime minister to question the loyalty of any race to Malaysia, especially Indians.

"I am Indian but my blood is still Malaysian because I was born here. We were accused of lacking love and loyalty for the country but do you know how many (Indians) have served in the army and police?” he told a media conference after visiting the Malaysia Cooperative Societies Commission headquarters here today.

In an exclusive online interview with an Indian satellite TV channel, Thanthi TV, recently, Dr Mahathir said Malaysian Indians were not completely loyal to the country as they were still ‘inexorably tied’ to their country of origin.

Ramanan said he did not know what more Dr Mahathir wanted the Indian community to prove as they have been serving the country well.

Ramanan also said Dr Mahathir was not consistent in his stand and had changed political parties frequently.

"You can see that today he adopts stand A, then stand B followed by stand C. He also does not stay long with political parties and I have lost track of which party he is in now,” he added. - BERNAMA