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May 13 review 'not beneficial'

May 13 review 'not beneficial'

Monday, 19 May 2008 08:58am

©New Straits Times (Used by permission)
by Roziana Hamsawi in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

THE May 13 incident should be left as history that must not be repeated, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday.

To review the 1969 race riots, as demanded by the opposition, would only create an adverse polemic and benefit no one, he said.

"It is now a piece of history that should be a lesson to us all and not for us to dig up what happened. Since May 13, we have gone on a long journey.

"Our memories on what took place are blurred and we also have a new generation now who do not know what happened."

Najib said people should not look back on the tragedy except as a reminder that it should not happen again.

"This is, to me, the best way to recall the incident," Najib told Malaysian reporters here yesterday after a breakfast meeting with the Arab Business Council and United States congressmen in conjunction with his attendance at the three-day World Economic Forum on the Middle East.

On the meeting, the deputy prime minister said there could be a follow-up visit by the Americans to Malaysia while economic co-operation with Middle East investors was likely to be enhanced.

Najib had opened the meeting with remarks on Malaysia's economic development and the many business opportunities for investors.

"Our financial sector is strong and not affected by the subprime crisis. We have economic corridors, a high-end property market that has great potential and we are leading in Islamic banking and finance," he said.

"I also explained to them our regional halal hub development and the opportunities in high-tech manufacturing."

The Arab Business Council was represented at the meeting by members from Kuwait, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Tunisia and Egypt.

The representatives from the US Congress were from the states of Washington, Connecticut, Oregon, Tennessee and California.