KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional government, has issued a public apology over a remark made by Bukit Bendera Umno division head Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last month.
"We hope that the non-Malays will not be too disturbed with the statement and we apologise if it has incurred the sensitivities or unhappiness over the statement.
"We apologise, Umno apologises although it is not our statement but it is a statement made by one of our division leaders. It is totally unwarranted and does not reflect the position and the attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much," Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Umno deputy president, said here today.
In the run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-election, Ahmad Ismail had said at a ceramah that the Chinese in Malaysia were mere immigrants in the country and thus were not entitled to equal rights.
Speaking to reporters after launching the Chery Multi Purpose Vehicle here, Najib said the Umno supreme council would also decide at its next meeting on the "appropriate action" to be taken against the division leader.
"The statement is his personal statement and is not the stand of Umno and the government. We do not regard Malaysian citizens of Chinese, Indian or other descent as passengers.
"They are Malaysian citizens who have full rights and we will definitely safeguard their interests and their dignity and I describe the statement as something that Umno and the government very much regret," he said.
MCA Youth secretary-general Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong expressed relief that Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Naji Razak has apologised on behalf of the party for Ahmad’s racist remarks.
Wee, however, insisted that Ahmad make a personal apology.
"If the deputy prime minister, a national leader in such a high position, can apologise, what more Ahmad?" he told The Malaysian Insider.
Wee had last week said Ahmad's statement had angered the Chinese and other non-Malay communities.
"I think the community in general would like to see the person himself apologise. Najib truly understands the sensitivity of the issue as it has irked the Chinese," he said today.
On whether action should be taken on Ahmad as some parties have called for him to be charged under the Sedition Act, Wee said that as several police reports have already been filed, he would prefer to leave it to the authorities as Malaysia is a "country ruled by law". — Bernama
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