Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who helmed Umno for 22 years, has lambasted Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz for being a member of that racist party.
mahathir cyberjaya lecture 220409 q&a sessionThe former premier is peeved with Nazri for describing the 84-year-old politician as a racist over his stand with regards to the National Civics Bureau (BTN) issue.
Among others, the minister had accused Mahathir of singing a different tune when in power, and now after his retirement.
"You must remember that during his time when he was the prime minister, he was talking about how we must all think as Malaysians... now that he's not (the) prime minister, you read his blog, it's bloody racist," he had said.
When prodded for a response at a function this afternoon, Mahathir, who is still an Umno member, fired: "I must be a racist if Nazri says I am racist. Don't ever say that I am not. He knows everything. He belongs to a party which is racist... which is Umno."
"Umno is a party perkauman and is meant only for Malays and nobody (else) can join. So he (Nazri) is in a racist party but says he is against racism. So he should resign from the party," he added.
Despite an ongoing furore that the BTN training modules promoted a racist agenda, Mahathir had said on Sunday that the bureau's curriculum had helped foster unity as the courses were attended by Malaysians of all races.
'That is the most stupidest statement'
In an immediate reaction, Nazri was far from apologetic for having trampled on the octogenarian's toes.
"That is the most stupidest statement that I have heard in my life," he told reporters in Parliament. "It only confirms what I said was right."
Stressing that Barisan Nasional constituted the bigger picture, Nazri said he had no role in setting the agenda for Umno during its formation.
The minister said that he joined the ruling party because he wanted to serve the government and the people.
gobind suspended from parliament 160309 nazri"When you want to talk about forming the party, he (Mahathir) was involved in forming the party. That is not my problem, that's his problem. I only joined the system as it is," he added.
Continuing the tirade, the minister said: "If Umno is a racist party, he was president of a racist party, so he is a racistlah. The argument does not make him less of a racist."
Asked about some of the mainstream media 'blacking out' his criticisms against Mahathir, Nazri said he is in the dark as to why this happened but is not perturbed by it.
"If Mahathir could make criticisms against the government then he is not immune to criticisms from members of the government," he added.
This is not the first time that Mahathir and Nazri have crossed swords.
During the tenure of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Nazri had repeatedly attacked Mahathir when the former premier declared war on his successor.
Credit to-malaysiakini-
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