Najib sorry for ‘drunks and LGBT’ highway users remark

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 26 Feb 2019 3:47PM · 6 Comments

Najib Razak said at a ceramah last night that only ghosts, drunks and LGBT looking for clients are not asleep during the wee hours when the government plans to make four highways toll-free. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, February 26, 2019.

NAJIB Razak has apologized for his remarks on Putrajaya’s plan to abolish toll fares on four highways during non-peak hours.

The former prime minister said it was not his intention to offend anyone who worked the graveyard shift or used the highways from 11pm to 5am.

“I humbly apologise to anyone who feels offended by what I said during the ceramah,” he said on Facebook today in response to negative comments on social media.

The Pekan MP said he was merely repeating audience rejoinders to his remarks on the matter.

“If you watch the clip, you will see I was repeating what was being shouted out by the audience,” he said.

During the ceramah, Najib had said Pakatan Harapan’s plan to make four highways toll-free from 11pm to 5am would benefit only “drunks and LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual and trangender)” folk.

He said the move would not benefit most Malaysians, who are not up and about in the wee hours.

“Only ghosts, drunks and LGBT looking for clients are not asleep,” he had said.

“We go to sleep at 11pm, and if we go out for morning prayers, it would only be after 5am. Who, then, benefits from the toll-free period?” he had asked a crowd of 200 at a ceramah in Semenyih last night.

Despite the apology, Najib said he maintained his point that the Pakatan Harapan government had failed in its manifesto promise to abolish tolls in the country if it captured Putrajaya.

He said the media and PH government should not use  parts of his speech to distort the facts, which was that PH had failed to abolish all tolls.

Putrajaya had, at the weekend, announced it was in negotiations with Gamuda Bhd on the acquisition of four highways in which the company has a majority stake – the Damansara-Puchong Expressway, Western KL Traffic Dispersal System, Shah Alam Expressway and SMART Tunnel .

Upon the highways’ takeover, the government will abolish the toll mechanism, replacing it with congestion charges that will vary between peak and non-peak periods.

Motorists will get discounts of up to 30% of the current toll rates, and the roads will be toll-free from 11pm to 5am. – February 26, 2019.

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Comments

  • Your were drunk at that time?

    Posted 5 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply

  • *face-palm*

    Posted 5 years ago by Luke Skywalker · Reply

  • Tell PAS that you are not against drunks and LGBT . . . and ghosts.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • such an opportunist you are by pointing out the free period between 11pm and 5am, what about the 30% reduction which you happily left it out? Isn't that a cost saving? Cakap tak serupa bikin, the pekan bugis who rob the people while in office.

    Posted 5 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • Why should he repeat nonsense and such slurs? Is there no limit to what someone will say and do to gain power? Obviously to those people who attended and support this corrupt and law-abusing politician is that all that is fine in their eyes.

    Posted 5 years ago by Sunita petrus · Reply