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BERUAS: Barisan Nasional component parties must work together and resolve outstanding issues which might cause discord among the public, especially those involving the Chinese community.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said it was the responsibility of the component parties to go to the ground and provide a detailed explanation of such issues to the people.

"Take, for example, sensitive issues (involving the Chinese). It would be better if the explanation (to the community) was done (by the MCA or Gerakan) as it would be more credible than if it was carried out by Umno.

"We have to ensure that all races fully understand the concept of give-and-take instead of just focusing on the economy and how to help the Malays," he said after opening the Beruas Umno Youth divisional meeting yesterday.

Khairy said this when asked to comment on a poll carried out by the opinion research firm, Merdeka Centre, in June which showed that only 54 per cent of the Chinese community supported the present administration led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
In the same poll, 86 per cent of Malays and 71 per cent of Indians gave the thumbs up to the administration. The telephone interview survey involved 1022 respondents throughout the peninsula.

"We should not ignore the survey. We have to resolve this matter now instead of hoping that it (findings) will just go away on its own.

"The Chinese community must understand that we also give space to other races and not only to Malays. We (Umno) are not a racist party. Hence, the need for this stand to be explained properly to them."

Meanwhile, Gerakan vice-president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said that racial overtones at the last Umno general assembly still worry Chinese voters.

Their fear of being sidelined as well as worries about the rising inftation and crime rate have made them unhappy, he said.

"It is hoped the government will take measures to soften the impact on the community in the next few months."

Chang, who is Perak Gerakan chief, said political leaders from all Barisan Nasional component parties and Chinese leaders in the community must combine efforts to explain the issues.

BERUAS: Barisan Nasional component parties cannot regard lightly the findings of a survey on the people's support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said yesterday. 

He said the Barisan must find answers and provide an explanation over the findings of the survey, conducted by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, that 71% of respondents supported the Prime Minister while 21% did not.. 

"We have to find the cause. We have to provide the explanation because we believe there is nothing that cannot be explained," he told reporters after opening the Beruas Umno Youth delegates meeting.  

Khairy was referring to a news portal which had quoted the findings of the telephone survey conducted by the centre between June 14 and June 20, involving 1,022 respondents aged 21 and above in Peninsular Malaysia. 

The Merdeka Centre, which has its office in Bandar Baru Bangi, is an opinion research firm set up to concentrate the capabilities of a team of dedicated social scientists and professionals in the field of economics, political science, communications, marketing management and civil society. 

Khairy said he was not accusing the component parties of not having done their best in explaining to the public the findings of the survey, but hoped that they would step up efforts in view of the next general election. 

On the reported plan by PAS to win at least 40 parliamentary seats in the next general election, Khairy said there was no way the opposition party could achieve that, considering the Prime Minister had the support of 80% of the Malays. 

PAS now has six seats in the Dewan Rakyat. 

On another matter, Khairy described as dangerous the mocking of the national anthem Negaraku by a Malaysian student in Taiwan. 

He said Umno Youth felt that the action of Wee Meng Chee, 24, who went by the nickname Namewee, could incite anger among the cosmopolitan population in the country. ? Bernama