Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi with Kuala Kedah division head Datuk Abdullah Hasnan Kamaruddin -- Pix by Amran Hamid
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi with Kuala Kedah division head Datuk Abdullah Hasnan Kamaruddin -- Pix by Amran Hamid

ALOR STAR: UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said privileges accorded to the Malays had been entrenched in the Federal Constitution and any attempt to change the status or privileges would not be tolerated.

“Many segments of society are now saying that the Sedition Act of 1948 should be repealed and replaced with the Harmony Act. This is simply not acceptable. There is a social contract to protect our rights and any attempt to change that is not accepted.

“We want to protect the rights of everyone. It does not constitute racism to want to protect something that has already been entrenched in the constitution. UMNO is not racist. We are just brave enough to protect as stipulated in the constitution.

“We respect other religions, we are a multi-cultural and multi ethnic country and we should continue to live in peace and tolerance as we have in the past but we will not accept anyone putting us down,” he said at the Kuala Kedah UMNO division delegates meeting here today.