GABUNGAN Bertindak Malaysia (GBM), a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and non-partisan organisation  representing 25 NGOs is greatly concerned with the characterisation of the Pakatan Rakyat’s  gains in the recent elections as a “Chinese tsunami” by the Prime Minister YB Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.

It has since been echoed by the Utusan Malaysia and various facebook entries. The Utusan Malaysia, 7 May 2013, carried the headline, “Apa lagi Cina Mau?” (What else do the Chinese want?). This and other similar entries would undoubtedly instigate hostility of the Malay community against the Chinese.

Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak defence of Utusan Malaysia’s racial innuendos is most unbecoming.

The election outcome shows a BN winning only 47.38% of the popular votes. This poor showing cannot be entirely due to the Chinese voters alone.

Notwithstanding gains in Kedah, UMNO’s support base has been eroded substantially in Johor, Melaka and Pahang, where two outgoing Menteri Besar/Chief Minister and two deputy ministers were deposed. Similarly, there was a strong Kadazandusun swing against the BN, resulting in the opposition’s seat gains increase from 1 to 12 in the state legislative assembly. If there was indeed a Chinese tsunami, how could Chua Jui Meng the PKR candidate for Segamat, a Chinese majority constituency, be defeated by a Barisan candidate of Indian origin?