Don’t be misled, voters told
ON GUARD: Be wary of foreigners out to influence our election outcome, say leaders
MALAYSIAN voters should not be misled by groups funded by individuals with malicious intent to manipulate the country’s democratic system to suit their own agenda.
Citing the protest that had occurred in the United States, Kedah MCA deputy chairman Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong said Malaysians should put security and stability as the utmost important factors when voting.
He said reports which linked international business tycoon George Soros with the protests against president-elect Donald Trump in the US came as no surprise.
The state executive councillor and Gurun assemblyman said Soros would resort to any means to protect his business interests.
“Understandably, a businessman with wide-ranging interests and tremendous stake in world financial and monetary markets would surely be willing to adopt such acts to protect his empire at all costs,” he said.
Dr Leong said it was nothing shocking should Soros use his financial prowess to change government policies, overtly or covertly, by influencing the outcome of elections in any country.
American daily USA Today had reported recently that Trump supporters had started organising protests against Hungarian-American philanthropist Soros, who was accused of stirring civil unrest in the country.
It quoted several individuals claiming that the billionaire investor had funded anti-Trump protests across the US following the Republican candidate’s dramatic win in the presidential election.
In Malacca, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the constitutional rights of nations which practise democracy through the ballot box must be respected, not destroyed through illegal means.
He called on Americans opposed to Trump to adhere to the principles laid out by their country’s constitution instead of going overboard in protesting the latter’s victory.
Zainuri Zainal
“The Americans have decided to elect Donald Trump to replace Barack Obama and this is in accordance with that country’s constitution, via a federal election that takes place once every four years.
“I am confident that whatever goals the anti-Trump protesters have cannot be achieved because the federal constitution in America protects the president who is elected legally,” he said after chairing the state executive council meeting in Seri Negeri.
Asked if the purported funding by Soros was sensible, Idris said many quarters had linked street protests against governments across the globe to Soros.
In Shah Alam, Selangor Umno Youth chief Zainuri Zainal said Malaysians should open their eyes to Soros’s motives, now that it had been exposed that he was funding protests against a legitimately elected US president.
He said Soros was trying to be a political kingmaker and wanted to make sure leaders of his choice get into power, and was willing to spend millions to fund political movements, including several in Malaysia, because the billionaire had his own agenda.
“Before this, we had been saying that Soros was trying to meddle in our country’s affairs by funding several groups in Malaysia, including Bersih, but the public did not seem to believe it.
“Soros tries to be a kingmaker, so that those whom he chooses would assume power and in return, would be at his behest.
“I believe he was doing this to secure his influence and the leaders he help put in power would steer their countries in a way that would profit Soros,” he said.
Zainuri said multiple police reports had been lodged against several entities in Malaysia for allegedly receiving funds from Soros.
He urged the authorities to take stern action against them for allowing foreigners to meddle in our internal affairs. Additional reporting by Hariz Mohd