ALOR STAR: Kedah MCA information bureau chairman Eddie Low has advised Datuk Shaiful Hazizy to let go of irrelevant and racist thinking.
Low said Shaiful, who is Kedah Umno information chief, needed to avoid the mistakes made in past general elections.
"Shaiful holds key roles as a community leader at the state level and Umno information chief. Most importantly, he has contested twice in elections, representing various ethnic groups.
"He should refrain from expressing illogical views," he said in a statement today.
Low questioned Shaiful's rationale in alleging that there was discrimination against the Malays in the private sector.
"In 2023, 17,386 Chinese individuals applied for various civil service positions, but only 1,643 were accepted. In fact, current data shows that Bumiputera civil servants make up 89.23 per cent of the total, while Chinese individuals comprise only 6.62 per cent."
He questioned Shaiful's claim regarding the starting salary disparity between Chinese private sector workers earning RM3,500 and those of other ethnicities earning RM2,000 to RM2,500, and sought clarification on the data source.
Low urged Shaiful to support the government's move to encourage more Chinese Malaysians to join the public sector.
"In reality, diversity in the public service allows for social diversity in the country, making the government more representative and able to understand the needs of various ethnic groups.
"Furthermore, the inclusion of individuals from different ethnicities in the public service can bring broader perspectives and diverse experiences, stimulating the development and implementation of more innovative and comprehensive policies.
"Additionally, a multi-ethnic public service team helps reduce prejudices against specific ethnic groups, strengthening social cohesion and unity."
He said the multi-ethnic structure of the country had strongly supported Malaysia's image as an open, inclusive and attractive nation.
"This has attracted investments and tourism from various countries over the years," he added.
On Saturday, a Chinese daily reported that the government would launch a campaign to encourage greater Chinese participation in the public sector.
Political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Chan Ming Kai, said the campaign was being conducted due to the low interest among the Chinese community in the civil service.
In response, Shaiful expressed concern over the federal government's campaign to encourage more Chinese to join the civil service.
He said such a campaign could potentially undermine the Malay Bumiputera economy and was unlikely to help to enhance the performance of the civil service.
