Guan Eng accuses PAS, Umno of harming national unity with boycott call while Dr Mahathir said it was only carried out by people with shallow thinking.
PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has condemned the action by a movement calling for the boycott of products based on race or religion, saying that such action is unhealthy.
He said the campaign to promote halal products is acceptable but to promote it using contentious issues between races is unhealthy in a multiracial country like Malaysia.
“The racial connotation use (in the boycott campaign) is not healthy in a multi-racial society and pluralistic world,” he told reporters today.
There is an ongoing campaign on social media by certain quarters to boycott goods produced by non-Bumiputeras and to buy Bumiputera products instead.
Meanwhile, Lim Guan Eng said today that a PAS ulama is playing a dangerous game bordering on extremism by supporting a call to boycott buying goods from non-Muslims.
The DAP secretary-general was responding to former Selangor PAS deputy ulama chief Ahmad Dusuki Abdul Rani’s term of adding pahala or ‘divine reward’ in urging Muslim Malaysians to back the boycott campaign.
“Unfortunately, the Opposition leader is willing to gamble with the country’s peace and harmony by playing such a game,” Lim said in a statement.
Lim, who is also finance minister, said the campaign was initiated by a racist and extremist non-governmental organisation that was senseless and expressed his regret that neither PAS nor its new ally Umno were rejecting such calls.
“This boycott of non-Bumputera products is illogical and unreasonable as it will only serve to destroy the unity of the people and consumers will stand to lose out in terms of choice to get only the best prices and quality,” the Bagan MP said.
He added that religions do not teach their respective followers to boycott or hate each other and that Malaysians generally did not segregate themselves along racial or religious lines.
“Religion does not teach us to be angry, to boycott each other and to hate each other due to our different races and religions, it is only the Opposition encouraging this,” he said.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan yesterday urged Lim to view the boycott “positively” for its benefits to uplift Malay-Muslim entrepreneurs and those in rural areas.
DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh, however, said that there is “nothing positive” about PAS defending the boycott.
The Bukit Gelugor MP said as a lawyer, Takiyuddin should know the “serious social ramifications” of such a campaign for the country’s multicultural values.
“I cannot see anything positive in such a move as urged by Takiyuddin.
“Of all people, Takiyuddin, being legally trained, ought to understand the serious social ramifications of such a campaign which can lead to racial polarisation and a divide amongst races in this country,” Ramkarpal said in a statement.
He said encouraging such a move goes against the spirit of the Federal Constitution which includes one’s right to livelihood.
Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has said the “is not a wise call”.
“There are non-Muslims who are good people in their relationships and friendships with Muslims. Islam does not teach us to go against those who are not against us.
“Second, Muslim-made products do not cover everything one needs. It is difficult for a boycott to succeed if we still depend on some non-Muslim-made products for certain needs,” Asri said on his Facebook page.
One way to help the Muslim economy, Asri said, is share business expertise, master the supply chain from obtaining good quality and affordable raw materials, to finding retail platforms like big supermarkets.
“If Muslims do not help each other, it means we are letting Muslim traders and entrepreneurs fail,” he said.
Earlier, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the boycott will not benefit anyone or solve anything.
“Business associations have not indicated that the boycott is affecting their businesses,” he said yesterday.
“In fact, in our meetings with wholesaler and retailer associations, everything seems to be normal, the issue (of boycott) does not arise.”
He said such a move was unhealthy to the country’s multiracial, multicultural and multireligious society, and Malaysians should instead celebrate the societal diversity and take advantage of its strengths.
Last Friday, Dr Mahathir said he did not agree with the movement’s call, saying it was only carried out by people with shallow thinking.
He urged those responsible for the boycott to cease their movement to boycott non-bumiputra products, as it would only cause anger.
The boycott is believed to have been spurred by some divisive issues, such as the objection of Chinese and Indian education groups against the teaching of khat in vernacular schools.