Two days ago, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin lambasted the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) for “talking through their nose” for raising Malaysia’s risk index and giving the impression that Malaysia was veering towards instability.

He dismissed the latest PERC report that foreign investments into Malaysia have not been forthcoming, either in direct form or in the equity markets, and doubting the efficacy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia strategy of “trying to be all things to all people, but in the end he might satisfy no one”.

Muhyiddin said:

“We are not asking them to help us anyway. We are helping ourselves and we don’t need their comments because I think a lot of other people know and can evaluate us very objectively.

“We are not basing it on emotions but facts and reality.

“The fact is, Malaysians are happy and are not facing any major disaster or racial trouble in the country… So, what are they talking about?

“I think they (PERC) must be talking through their nose.”

Unfortunately, it is Muhyiddin himself who has come across as the one guilty of “talking through his nose”.

Worse, he also conveys the impression that he is a “frog under the coconut shell” (katak bawah tempurung).

Is Muhyiddin seriously suggesting that Malaysia should ignore all the international reports and surveys pertaining to Malaysia’s international competitiveness? Is Muhyiddin advocating that Malaysia withdraw from the international society to become a hermit state?

Commentator Martin Jalleh has written a very eloquent comment piece in the blogosphere debunking the Deputy Prime Minister entitled “Muhyiddin’s Myths & Make-Believe”, but there is really no need to quote Second Finance Minister Datuk Husni Ahmad Hanadzlah’s December speech on Malaysia’s “lost decade of economic stagnation” or Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s indictment only last week of the “sham democracy” in Malaysia for anyone to discover that it is Muhyiddin himself who is “talking through his nose”.

In fact, Muhyiddin seems to be making a habit of “talking through his nose”.

Malay Mail yesterday reported Muhyiddin’s call on the police to investigate reports lodged against me as well as the ousted Perak Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluyddin for sedition for criticizing the Federal Court decision on the 2Perak Mentri Besar case.

Did Muhyiddin know what is the content of the police report lodged against me and Nizar before making such a call?

Did Muhyiddin make any call to the police to investigate former senior aide Datuk Nasir Safar for his racist views at the recent Malacca 1Malaysia seminar labelling Indians and Chinese in Malaysia as “pendatang” and that “Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies” or that of the Umno executive secretary Datuk Abdul Rauf Yusoh who defended such racist remarks at an Umno Club function in London a few days ago?

There is another even more recent case of Muhyiddin “talking through his nose” when he was given major coverage by Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times and Berita Harian flaying the Pakatan Rakyat-led Penang State Government for canceling the annual Prophet Mohamad’s birthday procession in the state.

Muhyiddin alleged that the cancellation of the Maulidur Rasul procession showed that the state government did not support the aspirations of the Muslims.

It is most sad and shocking that on such a sensitive subject, the Deputy Prime Minister had not bothered to verify whether rumours of the cancellation of the procession this year was true or not, and instead, he chose to “talk through his nose”.

Equally irresponsible were the mainstream media concerned which “blacked out” the Penang state government’s denial yesterday of any cancellation of the procession and proceeded to give Muhyiddin’s “talk through his nose” extensive and uncontradicted coverage!

Muhyiddin – heed the voice of Malaysians. Don’t be a DPM who talks through his nose!