(Speech at the first Public Ceramah/Consultation with DAP MPs, Excos, State Assembly representatives at Chin Woo Hall, Ipoh on Saturday, 12th April 2008)
After the March 8 political tsunami, MCA and Gerakan leaders blamed Umno for their electoral debacle, in particular the insensitivity shown by Umno leaders like the Umno Youth leader and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for his provocative and irresponsible “Malay keris” antics at Umno Youth general assemblies.
However, MCA and Gerakan leaders have not admitted their own weaknesses and failures in not speaking up loud and clear in Cabinet, Parliament and the government to protest against such insensitivity and demanding that Hishammudin publicly apologise for his “Malay keris” antics and that there should be no recurrence of such insensitivity in a plural society by a national leader who holds the important and sensitive post of Education Minister.
It is heartening that after the March 8 “political tsunami”, MCA and Gerakan leaders have realized the damage, not only to the Barisan Nasional but to five decades of nation-building, caused by Hishammuddin’s “Malay keris” antics, but it is not enough to realize one’s mistake if one is not prepared to take the necessary remedial measures.
Hishammuddin should publicly apologise for his “Malay keris” antics and MCA, Gerakan and other Barisan Nasional leaders should demand in unison for such an apology and assurance of no repetition in Cabinet and Parliament.
Unless Hishammuddin is prepared to make a public apology and MCA, Gerakan and other BN leaders in Cabinet and Parliament take a public position demanding that Hishammuddin publicly apologise for his offensive, irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics, it could not be said that Umno, MCA, Gerakan and BN leaders have learnt anything from the March 8 “political tsunami”.
The questions I want to pose tonight is whether Hishammuddin is prepared to publicly apologise for his irresponsible and provocative “Malay keris” antics and whether MCA, Gerakan and other BN leaders prepared to demand in unison for such an apology and assurance of no repetition in Cabinet and Parliament as proof that they have taken seriously the voice of Malaysian voters in the March 8 “political tsunami”.
#1 by Lea Cruz on Saturday, 26 April 2008 - 11:56 am
It is time for UMNO, MCA, MIC & Gerakan to form a new & moden party and abolish their old way of doing thing. All malaysian are malaysian, regardless their races and religions. Treat all malaysian fair and equal, then only Malaysia will be a prosperous, peaceful and harmony country.
If you are going to carry on with your present parties, like UMNO for Malay, MCA for Chinese, MIC for Indian. Then racial problem will never solve now and ever. It affects the whole nation in many ways.
DAP & PKR are the BEST EXAMPLE in this modern society and they are moving on and not living in the past.
Once again, time to review and change your party name and open it for all races of malaysian, if you love your country whole heartedly.
#2 by kerishamuddinitis on Sunday, 27 April 2008 - 11:21 am
The man has apologised to the nation.
Najis has said that this apology is a ‘noble act.’ Semi Value (OMG, he is back from the grave!…to haunt Malaysian politics and further insult the intelligence of the Malaysian Indians!), is still vehemently protesting that his political master has done nothing wrong with the D E L A Y E D response.
A ‘noble act’? Sure it is. It is about as noble an act as using C4 to blow a woman to smithereens! Noble indeed!
The man has apologised. Unlike UMNO and their running dogs who are vindictive after losing and demonstrate their viciousness by emptying out the offices of the in-coming MB’s, by destroying documents to cripple the in-coming administration, by transferring Balkis funds (collected from the people), by stopping projects earlier PROMISED to the people…, we the RAKYAT are EDUCATED, CIVIL, CARRY OURSELVES WITH HONOUR and we MUST accept Kerishamuddin’s apology.
As DSAI said, we accept the apology ‘in good faith.’
But the apology and the man and his politics are 2 different things.
Is Kerishamuddin a truly sincere person who realised he has made a terrible mistake that harms racial relations in Malaysia and therefore puts the country in possible harm’s way?
Or is he simply a political opportunist and journeyman seeking his political destiny? Is he simply manipulating the situation to ‘grease’ his way to the VP’s post in the coming UMNO GA?
Do we accept Kerishamuddin as an honest, caring and sincere politician who means what he says? On this count, let’s review his actions.
He DID NOT apologise to anyone after his 1st and subsequent waving of the keris:
- even though his running dogs, MCA and Gerakan, protested and resorted to waving the CONSTITUTION after his 1st keris waving
- instead he reinforced his politically-motivated act with an arrogant statement of ‘desensitising’ non-Malays and raised the keris a 2nd time in DEFIANCE of the sentiments of the people, especially non-Malays, in arrogant dismissal of the fears of non-Malays, in an insensitive dismissal of the pleas of even Malays who said it shouldn’t have been done.
- and now, in face of calls by Malay community leaders and activitsts to treat the keris with respect as a symbol of royal regalia and the rich heritage of Malay culture. He treated himself as ABOVE both royalty and the whole Malay race by rejecting their appeals
- even when BN was swept unceremoniously out of Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Kelantan and 10 out of 11 FT constituencies on the strength of rejection of BN and UMNO by the people fed-up of such insincere and racially motivated politics
- and again, even after the leadership of both MCA and Gerakan openly identified his stupid keris waving act as ONE very key reason why BN and UMNO lost
- BUT worst of all reasons why he should have IMMEDIATELY apologised after the uproar by the people is simply this absolutely non-political reason : that he is the man ultimately responsible for the moral, academic and intellectual upbringing and progress of our young children, of their young minds and blossoming of their values! God help our children with such a man as Kerishamuddin in charge of their future!
Therefore, he should have IMMEDIATELY extended his apology if he is a truly caring, honest and sincere leader in the people’s interest!
Not nearly a full 2 YEARS (!) after the 1st keris waving incident.
He apologised because:
HE HAS MOVED ON FROM UMNO YOUTH AND NOW TARGETS THE VP POST IN UMNO TO SET HIMSELF UP AS CANDIDATE FOR PM IN THE FUTURE! And to ‘repair’ the damage he has done, show his Umnoputras he is ‘humble’ enough to recognise the displeasure of the Rakyat, placate his battered and bleeding running dogs and ‘bury’ this totally distasteful political disaster, he has made a cameo with his “NOBLE ACT.”
That’s how sincere Kerishamuddin is!
We accept his apology.
It comes from a man who is PHALLIC with hot blood filling his head and no brain matter, and an IMBECILE because such a man who the power to help our children become great people and citizens has himself sunk to the very depths of self-serving GREED and SELF-GRATIFICATION, thus giving our children no hope!
But we must reject the man and his politics! WE must reject a PHALLIC IMBECILE!
BN is DEAD! UMNO is no longer relevant! MCA is becoming a me-too DAP but more Chinese-than-Chinese than DAP ever was, and Gerakan (like MCA) is decripit, toothless and has a bark that is more a fart…the more the OLD MAN opens his mouth, the worse the stink for BN.
Long LIVE Rakyat Malaysia!
Long live Pakatan Rakyat!
Long live DSAI, Nik Aziz, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and all sincere, honest and fair-minded leaders who LOVE PEACE and PROGRESS for ALL MALAYSIANS!
Long Live the KING and Royalty!
DSAI for PRIME MINISTER by Sept 16!
#3 by kerishamuddinitis on Sunday, 27 April 2008 - 11:29 am
Ooops, for the lack of a comma… ‘But worst, of all reasons…’ the meaning is in the opposite.