KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s call for Malay consumers to boycott Chinese-owned businesses over price hikes has raised concern that it may entrench Malaysia on its path towards racial intolerance.

The federal minister’s controversial call also comes at a time when renewed attention has fallen on Malaysia’s race relations, after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang claimed restoring local council elections could lead to a repeat of the May 13, 1969, race riots.

According to Centre for Policy Initiatives director Dr Lim Teck Ghee, the agriculture and agro-based industries minister’s call for race-based consumer action should be classified as “hate speech”.

“If one goes by his logic, all businesses that raise their prices and have links to individuals from the opposition are anti-Islam; and presumably that includes Malay-owned businesses,” Lim told Malay Mail Online.

“The Cabinet as well as all political parties, including Umno, must condemn this statement and line of thinking and have him retract it and apologise,” the political analyst added.

Ismail Sabri said on Facebook yesterday that Malay consumers could assist the fight against profiteering by boycotting Chinese businesses, singling out the Old Town White Coffee franchise as an example of an “anti-Islamic” business that has links to Perak DAP chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.

The minister clarified later that he was not criticising the entire Chinese community, but was referring to Chinese distributors and traders who refused to reduce prices despite the falling fuel prices.

He also claimed that the traders’ failure to lower prices despite a reduction in fuel costs was a form of sabotage intended to foment disaffection towards the government, which he said was wrongly blamed by consumers for the rising cost of living.

Institute for Democracy and and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan said Ismail Sabri’s decision to tie the issue to race was distressing.

“The reality is that there are many Malays running businesses and they’re not bringing prices down either,” Wan Saiful told Malay Mail Online.

“There are Chinese consumers too and all the GLCs are controlled by the government. Why don’t we see prices going down there?” the political analyst questioned.

Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian said Ismail Sabri’s call for a racial boycott did not promote confidence in Putrajaya’s talk on tolerance.

“It’s not a very helpful remark and it casts a negative light on the intellectual capabilities of our Cabinet members,” the political analyst told Malay Mail Online.

Ismail Sabri’s call has triggered a firestorm of criticism from both friend and foe alike, who have accused him of racism and sedition for his racially-specific suggestion that Malays boycott Chinese traders.