The government should set up a national goodwill committee headed by former minister Rafidah Aziz to restore racial harmony following the Sept 16 red shirt rally.
DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said the committee would be similar to the one set up after the May 13 riots.
"(It should also include) participation of all patriotic Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region or politics, to take the nation back from the brink of (destruction) which was the direction the red shirt Malay rally of Sept 16 wanted the nation to be heading to," he said in a statement today.
He added the red shirt rally also marked the lowest point of race relations in the country since 1969, and has hurt Malaysia's international image.
Therefore he said the committee must be set up to counter the negativity.
While he did not say why he singled out Rafidah for the job, Lim expressed admiration for her remarks that the government should stop perpetuating narrow-minded race based politics.
The former international trade and industry minister yesterday said social organisations, private sector, youth organisations, and Malaysians - led by the government - must unite to push the country forward.
She said it was time to work together after people managed to express their “ geram ” (frustrations).
This followed the culmination of the Sept 16 rally, which was attended by 50,000 red clad protesters.
The Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu was held in response to the Bersih 4 rally, which organisers claimed was Chinese-dominated and an insult to “Malay dignity”.
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