DPM Zahid: Anti-establishment groups must be curbed before they become burdensome ‘biawak hidup’

Malay Mail

BANTING, March 28 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahidi said today there is a need to tackle the rise of what he deemed as “anti-establishment” groups so they don’t become the country’s burden.

While acknowledging that anything newly introduced by the establishment posed their own challenges, Ahmad Zahid said such challenges would include condemnation from groups with “anti-establishment” tendencies.

“There is no less than 22 per cent who are against anything done by governments and establishments, and for that we must move towards ensuring the majority are pro-establishments because these 22 per cent are usually anti-establishments,” he said at a Ramadan event in Masjid Jamek As-Solihin here.

He however did not provide the source of said data. Malay Mail cannot verify the accuracy of his remark at the time of writing.

One example, he cited, was the issue surrounding Central Database Hub (Padu) launched by the federal government earlier this year that came under intense criticism with allegations of possible data misuse by the Economy Ministry which spearheaded the initiative.

Padu integrates microdata from various government departments and agencies to create profiles of individuals and households for some 28.3 million Malaysian citizen.

Additionally, as the Umno president, Ahmad Zahid sought to address accusations that Umno was an example of a “biawak hidup” as claimed by former Umno leader Khairy Jamaludin.

The Malay idiom means a persistent problem that becomes a burden and is difficult to deal with.

His remark came after Khairy in his latest Keluar Sekejap podcast labelled Umno as such for allegedly being a burden to the current unity government led by Anwar.

While he did not name anyone in his speech, Ahmad Zahid responded by saying the “former famed individual” saying such should ask themselves if they are the true “biawak hidup” instead.

Ahmad Zahid later added these anti-establishment groups, even if they were part of the government, would always think they are infallible than others.

“There are too many such groups in the country and if we do not curb it, then these people will be the true ‘biawak hidup’,” he said.