03/12: Prove ethnic cleansing and I'd quit: Abdullah

By IBNlive.com

In a statement reflective of the growing tension in Malaysia over ethnic clashes, the country’s Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi on Sunday offered to resign if the allegation of ethnic cleansing of Indian Tamils was proved.

Outraged at the allegations levelled against his government by a local Hindu group, Badawi said the statements were aimed at dividing Malaysia.

"I rarely get angry but this time I am very angry and this is something I cannot accept," Abdullah was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.

He condemned the Hindu Indian Rights Front for trying to lobby Britain for an emergency resolution in the United Nations condemning the incidents in the country.

He said Hindraf was making baseless allegations and wanted the UK to move an emergency UN resolution condemning ethnic cleansing in Malaysia.

“Tell me do you believe there is ethnic cleansing in Malaysia? Is there ethnic cleansing, tell me? If this happened I will resign," the paper quoted him as saying.

He said Malaysians would not believe it and even the Indians who are Hindus did not believe it.

"Ethnic cleansing was perpetrated in Bosnia where the Serbs attacked the Bosnians to chase them out and make them non-existent. It was backed by the state. We do not do this here."

Tension has spiralled in Malaysia since last Sunday when close to 10,000 Tamils protesting alleged discrimination were attacked by the country's police.