Malay leaders slam Habibie's remarks

Among other things, they say the remarks are baseless and Singapore should not be used as a bogeyman

By AHMAD OSMAN

MINISTER-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Abdullah Tarmugi led Malay political leaders here yesterday in hitting back at Indonesian President B.J. Habibie for remarks about the position of Malays in Singapore.

The Indonesian leader had told Taiwanese journalists that Singapore was a country of "real racists", where Malays could never be military officers.

Mr Abdullah said that those remarks, coming at a time when Singapore was trying hard to foster racial and religious harmony, were unfortunate, hurtful and baseless.

It was also not helpful to the Malay community here, he said, adding that Dr Habibie should do as he had suggested to Taiwanese journalists and check out the situation in Singapore.

"He will, contrary to his view, see that there are Malay officers in the Singapore Armed Forces," said Mr Abdullah, who is the Community Development Minister.

He said he believed that the Indonesian leader was either misinformed or really did not know what was happening in the Republic.

Dr Habibie told Taiwanese journalists in Jakarta last Saturday that there was no discrimination against ethnic Chinese in Indonesia as the country had abolished racist policies.

He added: "In fact, the situation in Singapore is worse. In Singapore, if you are a Malay, you can never become a military officer. They are the real racists, not here. You can go and check it out."

Five Malay parliamentarians yesterday slammed Dr Habibie for those remarks saying, among other things, that he should not use Singapore as the bogeyman in trying to win support for his policies.

MPs Ibrahim Othman, Ahmad Magad, Harun Abdul Ghani and Yatiman Yusof and Nominated MP Zulkifli Baharudin also urged Singaporeans to stay united and not be divided by outrageous remarks by outsiders who have their own personal agendas.

Referring to the progress made by Malays in the SAF, Mr Zulkifli noted that all Malay Singaporeans who were physically fit were called up for national service.

"Most of them are happy to be in the SAF because they want to contribute like everybody else," he said, stressing that the door was open for them to become SAF officers.

Mr Yatiman (Tampines GRC) said he suspected that the remarks by Dr Habibie were aimed at "undermining the stability of a multiracial Singapore" because they came during the current economic difficulties.

Increased Malay participation in the SAF was an internal matter that Singapore was capable of solving on its own, he said.

He added: "We do not need outsiders, including people like President Habibie, to interfere."

The subject of Malay officers in the SAF has been addressed by Singapore leaders as far back as 1990.

Brigadier-General (NS) Lee Hsien Loong, who was then Second Defence Minister, had said that more Malays had qualified to become infantry section leaders and SAF officers.

Mr Harun Abdul Ghani (Hongkah GRC) said yesterday that Dr Habibie should not insult the Malays here by saying that they will never become military officers.

Mr Ibrahim, an MP in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC said that Dr Habibie's comments were a reminder to all Singaporeans of the need to stay united.

Mr Ahmad Magad, an MP in Pasir Ris GRC, said: "I think we should not succumb to any proposition by foreign elements who will try time and again to test our style of democracy."

MEET TWO MALAY OFFICERS

'HE WILL, CONTRARY TO HIS VIEW, SEE THAT THERE ARE MALAY OFFICERS IN THE SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES.'
-- Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, minister in charge of Muslim Affairs, on Mr Habibie's remarks that "in Singapore, if you are a Malay, you can never become a military officer."

INTERNET IC: How it works
Budget