During the debate in Parliament today on the Youth Societies and Youth Development Bill, I called on the Umno Youth leader and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to apologise for his “keris-wielding” episodes to restore confidence as a symbol for national integration among students in the nation’s schools.

This raised the heckles of UMNO MPs in the House particularly Datuk Badruddin bin Amiruldin (Jerai) and Idris Harun (Tangga Batu) who demanded clarifications which I rejected as I had only ten minutes to speak as the second last speaker on the Bill.

As a result, the last MP in the debate, Razali Ismail (Muar) started his speech on the “keris-wielding” episodes, allowing Badruddin to go on a rampage to accuse me of being disrespectful and contemptuous of Malay culture and the Yang di Pertuan Agong in not accepting the keris as a national symbol.

In rebuttal, I made it very clear that I accepted without reservation the Malay keris as part of the national emblem, and that when the Yang di Pertuan Agong unsheathed and kissed the keris, it was a symbol of justice.

However, what was unacceptable was when the Umno Youth leader wielded the keris in the context of extremist and communal demands utterly insensitive of the feelings and rights of all communities in the country. I reminded Umno MPs that at the recent Umno Youth general assembly, an Umno Youth delegate even asked when Hishammuddin was going to use the keris now that he had wielded it twice — highlighting the totally unacceptable circumstances of the keris episodes.

The Youth Societies and Youth Development Bill is aimed at youth development which includes the following objectives:

• To build youth character;
• To develop patriotism among youths;
• To spread the principles of the Rukun Negara.

Furthermore, the Youth Minister has been given powers to issue policies or directives on youth development.

I asked how Malaysians are to be assured that there would be no abuse of powers by the Minister or the Barisan Nasional government in discharging the powers under the Bill when Barisan Nasional leaders had been setting bad leadership examples for national unity and national integration.

With the limited time available, I cited three instances:

• Hishammuddin’s “keris-wielding” history in unacceptable contexts turning him into a symbol of national division and disunity when he should be the symbol of national unity and harmony in his capacity as Education Minister;
• The complaint by third-year biotechnology student, Sheena Moorthy of the misconduct of the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis in making racist and derogatory remarks about Malaysian Indians when he met Malaysian students in California last week.
• The latest ruling by Maybank requiring legal firms on its panel to have 50% bumiputra equity partnership.

I also asked why the National Integrity Plan and its principles were not specified as among the objectives to be promoted under the rubric of “youth development” when the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had made anti-corruption and promotion of integrity the paramount commitment of his administration.

Referring to the sacking of five cabinet ministers by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono yesterday to bolster his government’s national and international credibility in the fight against corruption, I said the same thing should be done in Malaysia.

Also highlighted was the abuse of power by the Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Liow Tiong Lai who had forced the All-England doubles champions Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong to campaign for MCA in the Machap by-election last month by appearing at the “Malaysia Love Badminton Campaign” in Machap.

Koo and Tan are the badminton heroes for all Malaysians regardless of party affiliation and it was wrong for Liow to politicize Koo and Tan’s winning the All England doubles championship to get political mileage for the MCA in the Machap by-election.

Their coach Rexy Mainaky had publicly stated that he would not have allowed Koo and Tan to go to Machap had he known about the MCA programme beforehand.

The pressures put on Koo and Tan in Machap had adversely affected the duo, resulting in their poor under-performance at the Asian Badminton Championships in Johore Bahru immediately after their Machap trip and their first-round elimination at the recent Singapore Open.

Liow Tiong Lai should publicly apologise for politicizing and pressurizing the badminton doubles champions resulting in their underperformance, when it is the hope of all Malaysians transcending political differences that Koo and Tan can reach greater heights for the country in winning an Olympics Gold as well as bring home the Thomas Cup.