Utusan Malaysia twisted my words to create racial issue, says minister

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 28 Jul 2018 2:43PM · 5 Comments

HUMAN Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran today slammed Malay daily Utusan Malaysia for spinning his statement on the history of Indians and Malays to create a racial issue. 

Kulasegaran denied saying Malays were foreigners (pendatang) while Indians were originally from Malaysia, at a Hindu event in Negeri Sembilan last week. 

“It was a lie and slander. I have never said that. It was written without the real context or basis,” he said in a statement today. 

Kulasegaran said at the event, he explained that the Indians have been in Tanah Melayu (Malay soil) for 2,500 years and that they had brought the Hindu religion.

“Therefore, in my opinion I felt that it was unfair to deem Indians as foreigners, based on the historical facts.”  

He said Hinduism was among the earliest religions that was adopted by locals in Tanah Melayu and that transmigration was a worldwide phenomenon.

“Various races migrate all over the world based on the time and needs… to Malaysia, India, China and many other countries.

“This is a historical fact. Therefore what I want to stress is that history should be taught with the right, accurate and complete facts. 

“This is important to ensure Malaysians know our own history,” he added.  

Yesterday, the Malay daily reported that Kulasegaran had claimed that Malays were the foreigners in this country and that the true natives were those who practised Hinduism. – July 28, 2018.

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Comments

  • Even though he did not say it, it is true that Islam is a foreigner to this land, having only come here 700 years ago.

    Posted 5 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • If you are going to write about race and religion, read from a prepared text. If you know thosw are owned by umno or MCA and liars, pls DONT speak to them, very basic rule

    Posted 5 years ago by Ju bur · Reply

    • This is true. Always have your points or speeches in a prepared form/text. And extend these copies to the media.
      If the media reports otherwise, you will have a case against them.
      In the case of the Malay daily reporting otherwise, do you think they are going to retract and offer an apology? I dont think so. And eventually the matter will be left hanging and Kula will be deemed to stir racial issue!

      Posted 5 years ago by Thiruchelvam Thirunavukarasu · Reply

  • But of what use is all this - Hinduism or Islam or the 2 other great world religions in Malaysia? Malaysians at the time of independence diligently observed their religions, subscribed to multiracialism, & were law-abiding & peaceful, which is why our British colonial rulers decided to grant us Merdeka in 1957. How much have we departed from observing our respective faiths & not behaving properly? Improper conduct still elicits condemnation like cries of pundek, lanchiou & pukima!..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Surprised they haven't yanked the publishing licence of the paper soon after the change in government. We aren't making progress of we still allow the tools of UMNO to exist.

    Posted 5 years ago by K Pop · Reply