The racial remark: Stay calm!
Saturday, September 6th, 2008 | 6:49 pm @ SK
Despite the racial slur against the Chinese community witnessed by the DPM Najib Tun Razak, the embattled Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Ahmad Ismail remains defiant.
He is unperturbed as he has not only refused to apologise but has demanded that Gerakan acting president Koh Tsu Koon and Chinese community leaders apologise to him instead for asking him to express regret.
Back by all 13 Umno divisions from Penang, he blasted Sin Chew daily who first reported Ahmad’s speech, saying that "the reporter and the newspaper should be held responsible for inciting racial hatred and conflict".
He also slammed Tsu Koon as a "great liar and opportunist", putting the blame on his incompetency of his role as a PM and the Gerakan party as the main reason on why BN’s humiliating defeat in the recent general election.
To be frank, I’m both amaze and appall at the same time by the incredible level of arrogance shown by the Umno division leader. Then again, who’s not surprised by the rebuttal unless you’re one of them who believe racial politics is the way forward for this country?
Now, the entire affair put the PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and DPM Najib into total shame when the PM has earlier urged Ahmad to apologize whereas the DPM apologized to the Chinese communities on behalf of Umno over the racial statement.
I’m feeling particularly discontent and disturbed with the way our former premier Mahathir Mohamad added salt into the wound when he openly criticized the Malay leaders (alluding to the Najib’s act) were apologizing over a remark whereas he alleged that non-Malay leaders never apologize when similar remarks were made by members of other communities.
While I respect his freedom of expression, I’d say that his criticism is totally uncalled for, especially when his frustration towards the current leadership was constantly being made known via his blog and for him to do this, it’s no difference than punching below the belt, especially given the political turmoil in this nation.
It’s be great for him to do a national service by not putting up remarks which might further worsen the situation, especially when he commands high level of respect and influence among the Umno grassroots. I’d be very extremely upset for him as a great statesman not to take this plea seriously.
The way I look at it, as far as I’m concern, this emotional level has gone up to a new high as the snub came from not only Ahmad as an individual, but by the entire Umno divisions from Penang which is led by no other than the PM. It’s unprecedented in our nation’s political landscape which unfortunately painted a very negative outlook among the international eyes at the same time.
Moreover, based on what I’ve read and heard from the little birds so far, I’m afraid things are getting quite out of control, beyond the authority of the PM and the DPM who continue to remain mum ever since the press conference, with more leaders from all sides joining the fray, more or less portraying themselves as the representatives or the hero of the respective race the party is representing.
I suspect the open abuse and racist remarks together with the constant denial as a trap to stir up the racial emotions and gives unwanted opportunities for the authority to call for an emergency state.
If that’s to happen, it’s going to create a huge setback and might foil the September 16 plan indefinitely, hence I’d like to urge the people to stay clam and not to react emotionally which might lead to a chaotic situation which I’m sure you and I wouldn’t want to be in.
For anything which is not good to take place during this turbulence period, mind you, it’s going to ugly, very ugly. A repeat of May 13 nightmare is a disaster we must avoid at all cost.
Make love, not war. A cool head is what we really need now.
January 1st, 1970 at 12:00 am
January 1st, 1970 at 12:00 am
September 6th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
UMNO tak Rasis!
Ketua UMNO Bahagian Bukit Bendera, Datuk Ahmad Ismail, didakwa berkata, orang Cina adalah pendatang yang menumpang di Malaysia dan oleh itu mereka boleh mengharap mendapat layanan sama rata.
Ini di petik dari laporan http://www.malaysiakini.com. Kenyataan ini telah di bantah oleh UMNO sendiri sebagai bukan suara UMNO. Pemuda DAP (Dapsy) telah membuat laporan polis di Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Pulau Pinang dan Negeri Sembilan. Tindakan membuat laporan polis juga di buat oleh MCA dan Gerakan.
Datuk Ahmad Ismail memberitahu bahawa beliau tidak akan memohon maaf walaupun Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak telah berbuat demikian.
Sebaliknya, kata Ahmad, beliau tidak melakukan sebarang kesalahan.
Ini merupakan reaksi pertamanya sejak tercetusnya kontroversi itu minggu lalu, ekoran ceramahnya sewaktu pilihanraya kecil parlimen Permatang Pauh yang didakwa telah menyinggung perasaan masyarakat Cina negara ini.
Menurut Ahmad, beliau tidak berkata atau melakukan sebarang kesalahan, dan oleh itu, tiada sebab baginya untuk memohon maaf.
Katanya, beliau akan mengadakan sidang akhbar khas di bangunan Umno Pulau Pinang Sabtu ini berhubung isu tersebut.
Sidang akhbar itu akan diadakan selepas mesyuarat badan perhubungan Umno negeri yang akan dipengerusikan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Sambil menafikan bahawa kenyataannya itu berbaur perkauman, Ahmad berkata, beliau berkawan dengan orang Cina dan India sejak kecil lagi.
Sehubungan itu, katanya, beliau tidak pernah dan tidak akan menjadi seorang yang bersifat perkauman.
Ahmad turut mengecam laporan media yang menuduh beliau mengelak daripada bertemu dengan wartawan dan jurugambar yang menunggunya di luar balai polis Seberang Perai Pusat di Bandar Baru Perda sejak dua hari lalu.
“Saya tidak minta mereka tunggu. Jadi mengapa mereka tuduh saya lari dari mereka?” soalnya.
Ahmad telah memberi kenyataan di balai polis negeri di Georgetown malam tadi, ekoran beberapa laporan yang telah dibuat terhadapnya.
Kes tersebut disiasat mengikut Seksyen 4 (1)(B) Akta Hasutan 1948 yang membawa hukuman denda tidak lebih RM5,000 dan penjara minimum tiga tahun, atau kedua-duanya sekali.
September 6th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
http://www.kulitpisang.com
MB Perak diminta jangan ketepi kepentingan orang Melayu
Badan Perhubungan UMNO Perak meminta Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaludin supaya tidak mengetepikan kepentingan orang Melayu dan Islam walaupun negeri itu diperintah pembangkang.
Setiausaha Kerjanya Datuk Hasbullah Osman berkata tindakannya meluluskan 400 hektar tanah kepada sembilan sekolah persendirian Cina menjadi tanda tanya apabila kerajaan negeri yang diterajui Menteri Besar dari parti Pas itu gagal melihat kepentingan untuk membantu orang Melayu selepas negeri itu diperintah pembangkang.
Hasbullah yang juga Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri kawasan Temenggor dalam Parlimen Gerik berkata Mohamad Nizar perlu memikirkan kepentingan orang Melayu walaupun tindakan meluluskan tanah itu bukan satu kesalahan.
Beliau ditemui selepas menyampaikan bantuan bubur lambuk kepada masyarakat Islam di Pekan Pengkalan Hulu petang semalam.
Semalam, Ketua Pemuda UMNO Perak, Zainol Fadzi Paharudin menyatakan kekesalan dengan tindakan kerajaan Perak berhubung perkara itu dan meminta Menteri Besar itu bersikap adil dalam membantu rakyat.
Beliau berkata rakyat akan menuduh kepimpinan negeri terutama Menteri Besar tidak tahu mentadbir negeri dengan hanya membantu satu pihak dan mengabaikan pihak lain.
September 6th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
This Ahmad Ismail defiant against apologising to the Chinese is a slap in the face towards Pak Lah and Najib.He did not respect his leaders and going against the boss ought to be sacked,right? Infact,I believe UMNO is like a stray ship who has lost a captain and anytime it is going to sink.So the people are desperate to do as what they like as there is no one to manoeuvre the ship.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
SK
Ahmad Said remarks, Hindraf memo, Bar Council’s open forum on Islam…. all are insensitive to others. Does openness or facts be tolerated in total without considering the feelings of other people? Is it ok to be open and shout I hate Jews, Malay, Chinese etc although maybe it is a fact?
It’s getting dangerous and I mean really dangerous. It was unheard of for the Chief of Armed Forces to come out with a warning not to incite racial hatred, officially. I am reading his statement between the lines.
No matter which sides you are in, no one will win if our beloved country is in ruins. Menang jadi arang, kalah jadi abu.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
When sorry seems to be the hardest word
Link: http://www.kingsmary.blogspot.com/
September 10th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Najib needs to explain why he remained silent in the face of Datuk Ahmad’s insensitive comments.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:10 am