He said Najib’s speeches during the recently concluded Umno general assembly are indicative of the party’s plan to use racial sentiments to secure victory in the next general election.

“It started with the Red Shirts and now the party’s general assembly. Race issues are easily accepted by the public,” he told a press conference at the DAP’s national conference here today.

“But this is a dangerous game and we have to be careful of the possible effects. Especially as it is orchestrated by the prime minister (Najib) himself.

“We will fight against any form of racism.”

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was also present said Najib’s racial ploy is merely a way for him to win the hearts of the Malays.

This was portrayed in the Election Commission’s redelineation exercise which Mahathir said will segregate the public according to their race.

He labelled this as a form of “extreme racism”.

“A tactic Najib has used, as seen in the Umno assembly, was to say if the party wins the general election, Najib who is a Malay, will become the prime minister.

“If the opposition wins, the ‘anti-Malay’ Lim Kit Siang will be the prime minister. But Lim already stated that DAP has not, and will never, ask for that post.”

He added while DAP has been accused of liberalism, Lim has assured that the party will respect the Malaysian culture as well as the Federal Constitution.

“We are not going to be as liberal as the United States. We won’t have a situation where Lim Guan Eng suddenly decides to marry a man, and neither will I,” he quipped.

“This is all Najib’s propaganda.

“And just because I am standing with Kit Siang, doesn’t mean I’m a traitor to the Malays.”