During a speech in Permatang Pauh by-election on 25th of August, Bukit Bendera Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail said Chinese were "squatters" and "as the Chinese were only immigrants it was impossible to achieve equal rights amongst races".
On 30th of August, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi said he will personally meet Ahmad and advise him not to repeat his racist remarks.
Ahmad's allegation has angered the Chinese community. Leaders from different political parties request Ahmad to apology for his allegation. However, up till now he has not offered an apology to the Malaysian Chinese.
Apart from offering apology, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Kiat said disciplinary action should be taken against Ahmad. Ong was quoted in a news report from The Star online that "Each component party should have an internal mechanism to take disciplinary action against any party member who makes racist remarks."
Meanwhile, another MCA vice-president Datuk Fong Chan Onn said the government should consider charging Ahmad with sedition.
Will UMNO president aka Prime Minister of Malaysia consider the suggestions of MCA vice-presidents? I wonder......
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was at the scene when Ahmad was making his racist remark. However, Najib did not say anything on the issue. Does it mean that Najib feels it is OK for Ahmad to make such remark? I am just wondering......
As the politicians in a multiracial country, they should beware of their words and actions to avoid racial tension and to maintain racial unity. Ahmad is not the first politician who has insulted other race.
In 2005, the action of UMNO Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein raising keris at the UMNO Youth assembly has offended the non-Malays. He defended his action by saying that raising keris was a symbol of Malay culture. However, the action was a symbol of fear to the non-Malays. The action was believed to be one of the causes of Barisan Nasional's poor performance in the March 2008 general election. Subsequently, Hishammuddin apologised to all Malaysians in April 2008.
I personally agree with Ong that disciplinary action should be taken against any party member who makes racist remark. An apology will not deter politicians from making racist remarks again as we can see the example mentioned above.
All politicians should bear in mind that it is difficult to build and maintain racial unity, but it is easy to destroy racial unity by irresponsible words or actions. The result of March 2008 general election shows that Malaysians are not interested in racial politic anymore. If those politicians still do not understand and accept the message from the people, and keep indulging in racial politic, their destinies again will be decided by the people in the next general election.
On 30th of August, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi said he will personally meet Ahmad and advise him not to repeat his racist remarks.
Ahmad's allegation has angered the Chinese community. Leaders from different political parties request Ahmad to apology for his allegation. However, up till now he has not offered an apology to the Malaysian Chinese.
Apart from offering apology, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Kiat said disciplinary action should be taken against Ahmad. Ong was quoted in a news report from The Star online that "Each component party should have an internal mechanism to take disciplinary action against any party member who makes racist remarks."
Meanwhile, another MCA vice-president Datuk Fong Chan Onn said the government should consider charging Ahmad with sedition.
Will UMNO president aka Prime Minister of Malaysia consider the suggestions of MCA vice-presidents? I wonder......
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was at the scene when Ahmad was making his racist remark. However, Najib did not say anything on the issue. Does it mean that Najib feels it is OK for Ahmad to make such remark? I am just wondering......
As the politicians in a multiracial country, they should beware of their words and actions to avoid racial tension and to maintain racial unity. Ahmad is not the first politician who has insulted other race.
In 2005, the action of UMNO Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein raising keris at the UMNO Youth assembly has offended the non-Malays. He defended his action by saying that raising keris was a symbol of Malay culture. However, the action was a symbol of fear to the non-Malays. The action was believed to be one of the causes of Barisan Nasional's poor performance in the March 2008 general election. Subsequently, Hishammuddin apologised to all Malaysians in April 2008.
I personally agree with Ong that disciplinary action should be taken against any party member who makes racist remark. An apology will not deter politicians from making racist remarks again as we can see the example mentioned above.
All politicians should bear in mind that it is difficult to build and maintain racial unity, but it is easy to destroy racial unity by irresponsible words or actions. The result of March 2008 general election shows that Malaysians are not interested in racial politic anymore. If those politicians still do not understand and accept the message from the people, and keep indulging in racial politic, their destinies again will be decided by the people in the next general election.
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