Annuar indicated that the ethnic Chinese were allowed more freedoms in Malaysia than their counterparts in Indonesia and Thailand, allowing them to flourish. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 ― Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa asserted today that the Malay nationalist party loves the country’s ethnic Chinese minority the most.

To support his assertion, he said Chinese Malaysians were allowed to practise their own culture here with Umno’s “blessings”, news portal Malaysiakini reported.

“The people who love the Chinese the most are Umno Malays.

“The one that will ruin the Chinese in Malaysia is DAP,” Annuar was quoted saying in Shah Alam, where he was giving out an award for an essay writing contest condemning DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang as an alleged racist.

The Keterah MP was also reported indicating that the ethnic Chinese were allowed more freedoms in Malaysia than their counterparts in Indonesia and Thailand, allowing them to flourish.

“Chinese names, Chinese culture, Chinese schools, all are given their blessings.

“Who gives the blessing? Umno does,” he was quoted saying.

According to the report, Annuar said the ethnic Chinese still “dominate the economy”, but that Malays did not mind or feel jealous or angry because Umno as a party of Muslims practised Islamic principles that included acceptance of other races.

He was then reported saying that the existing stability and social structure would be upset if the DAP took federal power, and that the ethnic Chinese would be the first to pay the price.

“When the country is in chaos, the Chinese will be the first to suffer,” Annuar was quoted saying.

He was also reported saying that Umno must change public perception that it is racist, and told members to start by not saying things to hurt the feelings of non-Malays and not belittle the other Barisan Nasional coalition members like MCA and MIC.