KUALA LUMPUR: The silence from Pakatan Harapan leaders over the ‘Bugis’ remark which had landed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in hot soup is deafening.
Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications deputy director Eric See-To said not only had Selangor Royalty called for a sedition probe but Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla had called for the former premier to apologise.
“Tun Mahathir continues to remain defiant and insist he had done nothing wrong. In his official letter to the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia, Tun Mahathir also cussed Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak) of paying a lot of money in "dedak" to others for them to play up this issue.”
See-To said in his controversial speech at the failed anti-kleptocracy rally on Oct 14, Tun Mahathir said these exact words:"Maybe because he (Najib) comes from the Bugis Pirates. I don't know how he got lost and ended up here in Malaysia, he should go back to Bugis".
How this is an insult and why it is outrageous for Harapan leaders to remain silent See-To said becomes clear once the name is changed as well as the ethnic group in Tun Mahathir's statement.
"Maybe because he (Kit Siang or Eric) comes from the Chinese Pirates. I don't know how he got lost and ended up here in Malaysia, he should go back to China".
“ Would DAP similarly remain silent if Tun Mahathir had said these words?
“No. All hell will break lose and we will be hearing about these for the next two General Elections.”
See-To said for years, the DAP had been up in arms whenever any random individual called on the Chinese to go back to China but their hypocrisy and selective blindness prevents them from acknowledging the damage of what Tun Mahathir's racist speech can cause.
“No ethnic group in Malaysia should ever be called pirates or should be asked to go back from where they came from.
“This is a hate speech and Harapan leaders must speak up against any hate speech or risk losing the moral right to be called anti-racism.
See-To said there is also no use for certain parties to divert this by claiming that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had done the same.
“ DPM Zahid merely mentioned that Tun Mahathir had Indian origins. He did not call Indian as pirates and neither did he call anyone to "balik India".
“Merely stating the fact that a person has Indian blood is not an insult to Indians. How is this a racist insult?” he asked.
See-To said for the sake of the principle that no ethnic group should ever be asked to go back to where they came from as well as for continuing good relations with Indonesia, Harapan leaders must be brave and do the right thing.
“Harapan leaders must condemn their Chairman and call on him to apologise - or risk losing the right to claim or ever pretend that you are anti-racism.”