Malaysian PM denies ethnic cleansing charges

Malaysia’s leader said claims that his government pursued ethnic cleansing policies were lies designed to divide the races in this Muslim-majority country, and vowed to resign if he was proved wrong, newspapers reported Sunday.

The Hindu Rights Action Force, which organized a banned Nov. 25 rally to demand equality and fair treatment, sent two letters to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown last month saying the Malaysian government was pursuing “ethnic cleansing” policies to drive out the Hindu minority, the group’s leader, P. Uthayakumar said.

An outraged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi slammed the Hindu activists, saying there was no truth in the claim.

“The allegations are all lies to deceive the Indians that they are an exploited race. Malaysians will not believe this,” The Sunday Star quoted Abdullah as saying.

“Ethnic cleansing is something that was done in Bosnia. We do not do it in this country. I’m really angry. I rarely get angry but this blatant lie cannot be tolerated at all,” he said Saturday, adding that he would resign if there was proof of ethnic cleansing.

Kuala lumpur, Sunday, AP