KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Abdul Hadi Awang’s "racist and extremist anti-non-Bumi and anti-non-Muslim rhetoric” blaming them for being the root of corruption is a shrewd strategy designed to strengthen PAS’ electoral prospects in the general election, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng said.

In a statement today, Lim said that Abdul Hadi’s recent remark on the issue shows that "he is a clear and present danger to Malaysian unity”, and that the latter could not show a shred of evidence, nor any proof to back up his claim.

Abdul Hadi had yesterday called for corruption to be eradicated holistically, likening it to a disease and labelled those involved as committing a huge sin.

However, the Marang MP also accused non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera of making up the bulk of what he called the "roots of corruption” to the detriment of the country’s economy and politics.

"If we want to deal with corruption, we must first tackle it from the grassroots. If not, it will eventually become a disease. These groups who chase illicit gains are the ones who eventually control the economy.

"They then damage our politics as they are the roots for corruption and the majority of them are non-Muslims and non-Bumiputras,” he said in a posting on his Facebook page.

Lim pointed out that corruption is colour-blind, alleging that the practice was synonymous with all Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders regardless of race, whom he labelled as completely lacking integrity and honesty.

"Hadi may be blind to the facts and figures, but Malaysians must not be blinded by the hate preached by Hadi against minorities. By putting a racial and religious slant on corruption with false and baseless claims, Hadi has clearly positioned himself as the principal proponent against non-Bumis and non-Muslims in Malaysia,” Lim added.

He also accused non-Muslim and non-Bumiputera component parties such as Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), MCA, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), MIC and Gerakan, which are in the current government, of not only "condoning such hate speech but supporting them as their partners in power.”

He also called on Malaysians to prevent PAS from having a role in government, unless the party publicly apologise and disavows such discriminatory, divisive and hate tactics against minorities in Malaysia.

"Hadi even claims that non-Muslims and non-Bumiputras are in control of political power in the government when neither the prime minister nor the principal government posts in the civil service have ever been held by minorities in Malaysia. Not just those from the peninsula but Sarawakians and Sabahans should uphold the rights and protections guaranteed in the Federal Constitution by rejecting PAS,” he added.

Abdul Hadi’s remarks came amid the recent littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal, and the final appeal of Datuk Seri Najib Razak against his conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.