By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
KUALA LUMPUR: Leaders from the three main non-Malay Barisan Nasional component parties are calling for the prime minister’s aide Datuk Nasir Safar to be arrested under the Internal Security Act for his racist remarks yesterday.
MIC deputy Youth chief V Mugilan, speaking on behalf of the youth wings from MIC, MCA and Gerakan, said the remarks made by Nasir were dangerous and akin to the recent attacks on places of worship.
“His resignation is not enough as this issue is too sensitive. We want the Home Ministry to arrest him under the ISA,” he said.
Nasir said yesterday that he would tender his resignation after allegedly saying “Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies” at a 1 Malaysia seminar in Malacca, in comments that have undermined the Najib administration’s recent charm offensive.
The leaders of the BN youth wings said the statement made by Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s aide would hamper their efforts to regain non-Malay support for the ruling coalition.
“We have fought hard to draw support but because of people like this, our efforts can be hampered and this will affect (non-Malay) voting patterns,” said Mugilan.
The MIC deputy Youth chief said the arrest of Nasir under the law which allows detention without trial can be made as an example and deter future racial abuses from government leaders.
MCA Youth leader and BN Youth chief strategist Neil Khoo said such an arrest can be conducive towards eradicating the racist elements within the ruling coalition.
“It’s his subconscious that was saying what he said, who knows how many more are out there who have similar views,” he said.
Two years ago, Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail made similar racist remarks when he called the Malaysian Chinese community, the second largest in the country, “immigrants.”
Despite calls for stern action and multiple police reports lodged against him, the Umno leader remains technically unpunished.
The Umno disciplinary board had stripped Ahmad of his membership and post for three years but it was later cut short.
Meanwhile, MIC Youth secretary C Sivarajah said they would be lodging a police report against Nasir later this evening.
He said what Nasir said was seditious and want the aide to the prime minister to make an open apology.
Published By TheCatholic Observer
It is rather sick and shameful to heard and read such remarks made against the Malaysians of Indian and Chinese ethnic groups. Do he know that in 1911, Malaysia then has only 48.54% Malays and Chinese and Indians were already there close to 45%? At that time the population of Malaysia was only 2.65 million including Orang Asli-who is the original citizens of the land!. So before the country gain independence for a very long time the Chinese and Indians have worked, toiled and even suffered/sacrified for the country to make the country prosper under British rule of over 100 years and before that-there are Chinese in Terengganu already way back to 17th century. What about the Baba-Nyonya? They have been here long before many so-called new Malays (from Indonesia, Philippines, Arab countries, Pakistan, India,etc came...to settle down by way of marriage or work) who because they are Muslims or have converted-have automatically becomes Malay under the constitution. Isn't it not fair for the Indians and Chinese who have been here for several generations in this country longer than most new-Malays..to remain as non-Bumiputra and many felt being treated as second class citizens, even till todate? What is 1Malaysia all about if there are people who still talk badly about the other races in the country and even threaten with May 13 issue?. When will the country going to move forward and change their mindset and mentality of the people? Especially the so-called majority? Calling Indians as beggers and Chinese ladies coming here to sell their bodies? This is just too much to chew...shame on this type of people- whom have poor and screw-up mentality and all boils down to the education system that we have today- appeared to be far worse than before in the 70s. Why is this so? What happened to the senario where you see the common Malay, chinese and Indian children or youths able to sit together for a meal or play football together? This has all gone away...Hardly you can see them together.The government should not just shout the slogan 1Malaysia and show off to the world that everything is alright in the country.But instead ensure that all Malaysians or citizens of the country have equal rights and benefits and previlages to jobs, education ,health, etc...and not be questioned concerning their loyality to the country. There must be just laws in place before you talk about 1Malaysia!