Nik Nazmi panned on social media for dance comment


Bede Hong

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad earned the wrath of many when he commented on the on-stage dance by leading legal personalities, which included chief justice Richard Malanjum and Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, at the opening of the legal year in Kota Kinabalu on Friday night. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 20, 2019.

PKR leadership council member Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was lampooned on social media for comparing the tradition involved in the opening of the legal year with child marriage.

Among those who criticised him was his fellow party member, Latheefa Koya, who questioned what was wrong with him for making such a comparison.

Nik Nazmi earned the wrath of many when he commented on the on-stage dance by leading legal personalities, which included chief justice Richard Malanjum and Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, at the opening of the legal year in Kota Kinabalu on Friday night.

He said it was a normal part of the legal profession’s tradition.

“My issue is not with the dancing, but with the issue of not maintaining a professional distance between the different branches,” Nik Nazmi had said on Twitter.

“Yes, it is tradition. But so is child marriage in parts of Malaysia. We want to change that, right? Tradition is not static and must keep up with the times.”

The comment was critically panned, including by PKR central committee member Latheefa.

“What rubbish – comparing the tradition of the Bar with child marriage? What is wrong with you?” she tweeted in response.

Twiter user Mr Han said: “Why compare child marriage and the dancing? Child marriage is a crime. Dancing between a judge, lawyer, and the A-G is just like a contractor dancing with government officer, and SPRM (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).”

Nik Nazmi also said tradition must change: “After all, the previous opposition had criticised Barisan Nasional previously in various events/incidents for not maintaining professional distances. People voted for change, because they expect us to hold to higher standards.

“At the very least, we should be consistent in light of our criticisms in the past. As R v Sussex Justices, ex p McCarthy established: ‘Not only must Justice be done; it must also be seen to be done.’

Barathi Selvam replied: “Child marriage and a bunch of people dancing aren’t the same. Damn, you were one among the people who we trusted to lead the nation. Sad.”

Twitter user Yongcb said: “Your argument is not very sound by using child marriage as example.”

Another user, Jumbaba82 said: “This is why you cannot be a mainstream leader”, while

User Burstaxon quipped: “Ini tak berapa bernas (This is not an intelligent comment).”

Yesterday, Nik Nazmi had said that senior members of the judiciary and executive should be mindful of how they mingle in public.

“Dancing at a private event is a personal matter. But at an official event, leaders of the judiciary and executive must protect the judiciary’s image as an independent institution with integrity.

“In 2016 we questioned when the attorney-general then (Mohamed Apandi Ali) and ministers danced at a Merdeka event. We must be consistent,” Nik Nazmi tweeted yesterday. – January 20, 2019.


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Comments


  • Nik---- You are extremely shallow in your thoughts. Appandi was dancing in public with the crooked leaders and his bunch of banditos of crooks. In the legal gala nights there was no crooks but fraternity of legal personel and all merry making.Stop your false pretense and hypocritically upholding an unwarranted demeanour to be imposed on the wrong crowd. You are only as good as what you come along and so please know your place in society. Much ado over nothing!!!!!!. The public are suffering over rising cost due to the unscrupulous middleman and retailers who are hiking up prices without a damn at all in the guise that our ringgit is weak. to our chagrin and disgust your good friend helming the Domestic and Local Economic Ministry Sallahudin Nasuton are still day dreaming and constantly active only in buttering up Anwar and Rafizi rather than actively invovled in his responsibility of the job. If you have nothing to contribute , go and volunteer to be the task force monitoring the price index of the consumable goods in the nation. Let the legal guys do their own job and yours left alone to you. Stop poking uselessly into others affair. Since you started nit picking the issues, we did not see you squeak a sound on Appandi or even Anwar who was prancing around on stage looking ridiculous in public as a future PM. Why were you silent on this.Don't you think the decorum expected from your boss as the future PM is much much more demanding. Why are you a coward and only found your lost jewelsto raise the matter on those that do not directly impact your career and livelihood. Honestly you do not make a good people leader as your selfish small mindeness view are very very unimportant and dwelling on triviality.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • This is what happens when you make statements that are not only irrelevant but ludicrous. Be careful what you say. Dont make statements just to be heard!

    Posted 7 years ago by Kampung Boy · Reply

  • Its unbelievable that blokes like him have been voted in under the New Malaysia slogan. It should have been New Taliban instead.

    Posted 7 years ago by Joe Blog · Reply