No one defended Dr Mahathir when Umno attacked his Indian roots

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 4 Nov 2017 11:59AM · 7 Comments

Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad has asked Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for a copy of his identity card, which allegedly states he is Indian and not Malay. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 4, 2017.

NO one rushed to Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s defence when an Umno minister sneered at his Indian parentage, yet many are now demanding an apology over the former’s “Bugis” remark, said a patriot club today.

The former prime minister may face sedition charges for allegedly inciting hatred towards those of Bugis descent at the Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy rally in Petaling Jaya on October 14.

Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan president (ret) Brig-Gen Mohd Arshad Raji said Dr Mahathir did not rise to the bait when an Umno minister talked about his background.

Dr Mahathir remained calm and instead, asked the Umno leader to show his old identity card that stated he was of Indian heritage, Arshad said.

“Until today, the senior minister hasn’t shown any proof. Isn’t this a form of deception?”

Dr Mahathir, who is the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan chairman, in his tirade against Najib Razak at the rally, allegedly said the prime minister’s ancestors were “Bugis pirates”.

Najib has in the past spoken proudly of his Bugis ancestry.

The Selangor Royal Court on Thursday issued a statement saying Dr Mahathir had vilified and lumped the Bugis community together with pirates, criminals and robbers.

The Selangor sultans are descended from the Bugis.

Arshad today did not name the senior Umno minister but was clearly referring to Umno deputy president and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who said in July Dr Mahathir was using the Malays to further his political career, despite the former Umno president and prime minister being of Indian parentage.  

Arshad said the 1Malaysia slogan as used by Umno leaders will have no meaning if they themselves fanned racial and religious sentiments to cause disunity and tension.

He said the slogan should be used to unite all Malaysians, cultivate unity and love for the country, adding that the concept of 1Malaysia is synonymous with unity.

“The most important thing for our leaders to do right now is to find ways to help young Malaysians who are finding it hard to find work in their own country.” – November 4, 2017.

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Comments

  • Mahathir was very quick to reply he said and meant Bugis Pirates but the Sultan choosing to insist otherwise shows its something else. Frankly it throws the Sultan in bad light.

    Posted 6 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

    • The Scumno politician infamously known to be putting blame on other not themselves.....an example:they would insisted that the failure of the Never Ending Policy was the fault of the Peninsula ethnic Chinese community to the ill-informed,illiterates at rural areas but never revealed how Scumno-politicians and it proxies amassed million if not billion through corruption.

      Posted 6 years ago by North borneo · Reply

    • When we shout "Ali", tens of "Ali" stand up. When we shout "Robert" thousand Roberts answered. When we shout "Bugis Pirates"……

      Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • "Bugis pirates" does not mean the whole of the Bugis community, just like we say "indian gangsters" and not mean all Indians, or "islamist terrorists" and not mean all Muslims.

    Posted 6 years ago by Bala Menon · Reply

  • UMNO is hopeless when as far as unity of the people is concerned. The heavy baggage of race and religion has ultimately slowed down the pace of progress for the country as a whole.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • This is true! Zaheed should be responsible on his remark to the Indians. Where do u want to run Zaheed. Face your actions.

    Posted 6 years ago by Boodaq Kampong · Reply

  • Circumstances, poverty and time can transmute a colourful past into a monochrome present. Pillagers, plunderers,prostitutes and pirates can over improving circumstance and environment become rulers, governors, ministers, advisors and all the euphemism one desires to conceal ones past/roots..

    Posted 6 years ago by Arun Paul · Reply