PUTRAJAYA: Those who play up race and religious issues in their campaign should exercise caution as it could backfire, says Fahmi Fadzil.
The PKR information chief said Perikatan Nasional (PN) is lacking ideas as it continuously plays up race and religion issues in their campaigns.
This also includes the recent statement by Pas information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari who "apologised" for challenging DAP's Pang Sock Tao to reveal her SPM results, but at the same time hoped the "issue" of Pang coming from a vernacular school would continue during the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election campaign.
"How many Pas leaders who send their children to vernacular schools? I was to understand that Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had also sent his grandchildren to vernacular schools and there are also MPs who did the same.
"Don't use racial issues (in campaigns). Playing up racial issues could backfire (senjata makan tuan)," he said at a press conference after launching the Putrajaya Pakatan Harapan office.
Fahmi who is also Communications Minister had also issued a stern warning against those playing up 3R (race, religion, royalty) issues.
He said people should practise moderation especially in a multiracial country as in Malaysia.
PN, Fahmi said, should be mature and focus on the developments in KKB instead of immature politics.
"They don't have any other political mileage, that's why they're bringing up these issues.
"They should be more mature, open minded and talk about the development of KKB (instead of playing racial politics)," he said.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed May 11 for the KKB by-election following the passing of its incumbent assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong.
The KKB by-election would see a four-corner battle between Pakatan Harapan's Pang Sock Tao, Perikatan Nasional's Khairul Azhari Saut, Hafizah Zainudin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and Nyau Ke Xin who is an independent candidate.
