Thursday, September 4, 2008

Najib, the Mother Hen to Ahmad Ismail

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has apologised for the statement made by one of the party's division leaders which resulted in a lot of criticism from the Chinese community. [The Star, 3/9/08]

DAP rejected UMNO deputy president's apology as they believed Ahmad Ismail was the one who should have done so. [Malaysiakini, 3/9/08]

The last thing the Malaysian people want is a hollow apology from UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak when the guilty party is Bukit Bendera UMNO chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail. Therefore, Najib should not play Mother Hen and shield Ahmad Ismail under his wings from public scrutiny.

What the Malaysian people demand is a formal public apology from Ahmad Ismail. Not yours, Najib.

According to Malaysiakini, Ahmad Ismail had called the Chinese community here in Malaysia as 'temporary citizens' and should be treated that way during a political speech at Permatang Pauh. (Read UMNO has lost the plot on a story called "Malaysia") Both Malaysiakini and The Star also reported that several Chinese groups including MCA Youth did not take too kindly to Ahmad Ismail's comments.

On September 2, Najib as UMNO deputy president apologized to the public on behalf of Ahmad Ismail which he claimed that his statements "did not reflect UMNO's views".

“We will apologise. UMNO apologises. It (Ahmad Ismail's comments) was totally unwarranted and doesn’t reflect the position and attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much,” Najib said during a press conference. [The Star 3/9/08]
Najib also affirmed that the comments were entirely Ahmad Ismail's personal opinion and will refer the issue to the UMNO Supreme Council for disciplinary actions.

The Mother Hen can flap all the wings she want but it will not mean a thing unless Ahmad Ismail himself comes out to face the music. The Bukit Bendera chief joins a league of UMNO members who, in recent years had made reckless racist statements against other ethnic minority groups in the country.

On September 1, The Malaysian Insider and The Sun reported that DAP, Gerakan and MCA members around the country have lodged police reports against the UMNO division chief for sedition and have mounted pressure on the authorities to take the appropriate action.

Interestingly, Gerakan and MCA are component parties of Barisan Nasional, the ruling coaltion which UMNO currently heads.

Gerakan and MCA's willingness to condemn "one of their own" deserves a special note of commendation. In retrospect, it is also possible that the March 8 Elections was a wake up call for Barisan Nasional component parties to finally come out of their shell and speak up for justice. Nonetheless, both Gerakan and MCA should be given the benefit of the doubt for their stand against racism.

The latest efforts against racism from Gerakan and MCA received mixed responses from the UMNO camp. Perak UMNO Youth Chief Zainol Padzi Paharudin (left) explained that Ahmad Ismail's actions were actually justified and should not be blown out of proportions. He reasoned that Ahmad Ismail was merely trying to raise the spirits of the Malay audience during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign.

At the expense of national unity, Zainol? As he had unintentionally admitted, this is exactly how UMNO exploits racial sentiments to gain support from the Malay community.

Zainol also disagreed with Gerakan's way of handling the issue and claimed that the component party should have control over its members. Surprisingly enough, MCA wasn't targeted by the Perak UMNO Youth Chief.
"Sometimes when we talk too much, we forget. So let's not be too sensitive. Gerakan has to understand the meaning of 'power-sharing'," Zainol said.
"Therefore, Gerakan should be responsible to keep their members in check so that they do not take any actions that will undermine the other component parties of Barisan Nasional." [Malaysiakini, 2/9/08]
Was Zainol trying to imply that loyalty to a political party is more important than the service to the Malaysian people?

When Gerakan and MCA chose to go against the tide and voice their dissatisfactions, it was done in service to the Malaysian people. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is UMNO who should keep their members 'in check'...and possibly their mouths shut.


*Update* - There was a mistake with the photograph of Zainol Padzi Paharudin as pointed out by "azisirikit" and have been replaced with the correct one. Thanks "azisirikit" for the notice and my sincere apologies to all for the mistake.


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9 comments :

  1. mode de la shadow said...

    do u know wat does hen means in hokkien? LOLOLOL

  2. Anonymous said...

    Cibai puki lahanat punya Ahamd. Mana dia suda pegi. Tak berani tunjuk muka ke? U takde bodek ke and lancau?? Atau u punay lancau pergi robek isteri orang punya nonok? Kalau berani cakap/ tunjuk mukale? Kita Melayu cina india sudah sekian lama hidup samax2 dan sambut aidilfitri, raya cina deepavali samax2. Buat apa panggil pendatang? Ooi you tak sedarke yg u kat penang itu, u adalah pendatnag. MOron sob bastard. Spoil unity punya orang.

  3. alvin lee said...

    I just wonder what will happen if it is not UMNO people who utter such seditious remarks.

  4. Ikrak said...

    Guys,

    What all the fuss about this issue?

    UMNO is nothing but the most corrupt and racist entity. That's all.

    It is going to sink and self-destruct soon.

    Let's us not waste out time on this god - damn the most corrupt and racist organisation.

  5. Anonymous said...

    Isn't the foto above is Raja Ahmad Zainuddin? Is this blogger got the correct foto of Perak UMNO youth?

  6. jonathan ong said...

    Azisirikit,

    You are right. There is a mistake in the photo. The picture is indeed Raja Ahmad Zainuddin. I have taken the picture out. Thanks for the notice and my apologies for my mistake

  7. Anonymous said...

    Racial discrimination is unfair treatment on the basis of one's ethnic origin. Obviously, many leaders in UMNO display such deplorable prejudices regardless of how they may feign ignorance or whatever LAME excuses they may spew from their corrupt hearts.

    When it suits them, Chinese or Indians are their allies. When they wish to sing a different tune, they flex their muscles and we are supposed to tremble with fear and trepidation.

    When they intimidate us, we are supposed to take it sitting down. When we speak up, they tell us to shut up because we are infringing their rights.

    Where in the world is mutual respect? It appears that they have no qualms about letting their tongues loose and brandish a keris in the air in the name of culture (*choke*)because no matter how we contribute to the country, those unethical politicians will try to the best of their abilities to subjugate us - those whom they regard as 'temporary citizens' who should be glad we can still be called Lim Ah Kow or Lee Ah Seng or Muthusamy.

    Not only are they deficient in ethics, but they are completely incapable of practising justice for double standards rule the day!

    We can take note of a few points:
    a) Najib must be desperate to humble himself for a heel. It is highly likely that he is wearing diapers and wetting his pants all the way for fear of what lies ahead.
    b)Ahmad Ismail has either left the country or gone for plastic surgery for he does not have the guts to be a gentleman and make a public apology for the racist statement he made.
    c)Zainol Padzi Paharudin is a true to life illustration of how the speck in a brother's eye is bigger than the log in his own...How can he tell Gerakan to have more control over its members in their reaction about the issue???? UMNO cannot even ask Ahmad Ismail to make a public apology and has to send No. 2 in his place. This is pathetic politics in the first degree. Wake up to reality Zainol!!!

    Congratulations, Jonathan for being an upright and mature young man. We need more Malaysians like you to stand up for Malaysia. Indeed, you live up to the name of your blog.

    May you continue to stir Malaysians to pray for a better Malaysia, a country where people can live as one and meritocracy rules.

  8. Anonymous said...

    As I was saying, would this Ahmad fella have mentioned it if the PM's wife is present.
    Again, if got nothing nice to say don't saylah.
    (To Anonymous, like most of us, we are all angry, but try not to use the #@*# words you used, Show this Ahmad that we are BETTER educated than this person is, OK buddy.)

  9. Christian Girl in Harrods said...

    i wonder,if he said that we are penumpang because our ancestors come fr china, then, aren't all we? They come from Indonesia. What about the org asli? You know, if someone wanna make such a remark, the org asli will have the right to make it, but what do they get? They got no rights and voice and opinions! They were forced into a religion and of they don't, the government won't provide them free education and shelter. Seriously, what's wrong with the government?