It’s not often you get an apology from Najib, much less over racial remarks. But why isn’t Ahmad apologising? The next Supreme Council meeting will discuss what “appropriate action” to take against him. Don’t hold your breath. Anyway, this fiasco is not going to improve public support for the BN, is it?
Reading between the lines, the devastating impact on BN component parties must have been serious enough for Najib to come out and apologise.
This report from Bernama reproduced in The Star:
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional government, has issued a public apology over a remark made by Bukit Bendera Umno division head Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last month.
“We hope that the non-Malays will not be too disturbed with the statement and we apologise if it has incurred the sensitivities or unhappiness over the statement.
“We apologise, Umno apologises although it is not our statement but it is a statement made by one of our division leaders. It is totally unwarranted and does not reflect the position and the attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Umno deputy president, said here on Tuesday.
In the run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-election, Ahmad had said at a ceramah that the Chinese community were mere “immigrants” in the country and thus were not entitled to be given equal rights in Malaysia.
Contrast that with this article from Malaysian Insider and you will understand why the BN has lost so much support, even if some Malaysians may not really like Anwar:
AUG 29 — As the Permatang Pauh by-election fades into the recesses of our memories, there is talk of it being a turning point in our country’s history. Unfortunately, this talk habitually and routinely focuses on the possibility of changing the government by Sept 16.
It ignores a simple reality: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has already made history by being the first Malay politician to ever actually win more political support through an explicitly non-racial platform. It is practically impossible to underestimate how Anwar bucked the trend; he has completely turned our understanding of politics in this country on its head.
History has already made it crystal-clear; Malay politicians who try to unite the country by appealing to a common sense of Malaysian-ness inevitably wind up heading into political oblivion. Dato Onn Ja’afar’s political career went up in flames the moment he founded the first multiracial political party in the country, in spite of it having every conceivable advantage — it was literally the incumbent party of the time because of Onn’s towering status in Malayan politics. And it, of course, foundered completely.
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whatever lar … this is the same guy in 1987 wants to draw …. you think it made any bloody f****** difference if he apologise or not?
sack Ahmad!
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You mean he apologies, this Ahmad is free???What a F***!!! The raayat wants this guy to be punish and jail.
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REmember the boy who sang the Negaraku????????????????????What did the Umnos goons said????
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Is the Umno leadership so weak that they cannot make Ahmad, who is only a third tier leader apologize? What sort of impression does it make when the DPM has to apologize on his behalf?
Are they willing to sack Ahmad if he doesn’t apologize? This sort of kid glove treatment show that the apology is insincere and just to quiet down the uproar.
As Anil said, don’t hold your breath for action to be taken against Ahmad. He will probably move up the party rank.
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What gives Najib? Getting cold feet? You didn’t apologize for your nasty and evil remark about bathing the keris … The people have a good memory,and you were very insensitive. I don’t think you will be let off that easily
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“…we apologise if it has incurred….”
IF? And he is DPM? He should be KICKED out too. He is adding insult to injury.
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Kah kah kah…..
maaf kan kami
maaf kan kami
maaf kan kami
Kah kah kah …berapa kali nak minta maaaf daaaaaa……. Kah kah kah…. Komponen Barisan Nasional semua nak cabut masuk Pakatan. Bila-bila masa saje Gerakan akan masuk, parti di Sabah dan Serawak telah bersedia …… kah kah kah… udah terlambat kot….
Bila nak minta maaf beli kapala selam?
Bila nak minta maaf projek 5 bilion ringgit kapal angkatan laut tak siap-siap di Lumut?
….
Kah kah kah…..
http://tukartiub.blogspot.com/2008/09/hot-hot-hot-umno-minta-maaf-berhubung.html
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As a fellow Penangite, Ahmad, you have disappointed me tremendously with the racist commentary about the chinese.
You know your racist attacks on the Penang chinese are unfounded and downright mean to the core. If you want to support Arif Shah and UMNO, by all means, that is your perrogative and you certainly have the right to endorse Arif Shah if you choose. However, demeaning Penang chinese who have never demeaned you or your fellow UMNO chaps is truly unfair and speaks volumes about the unfair nature of your character. I guess UMNO Bukit Bendera and all Penangites sees this as well, which is why you are so bitter and could never garner enough support at the coming UMNO Bukit Bendera divisional contest. This time you are going to lose your Ketua Bahagian in Bukit Bendera. Channel your energies into your failing career and cease in attacking those in the political world who have never hurt you directly.
How disappointing to hear you talk like that in Permatang Pauh.
Your refusal to apologise when facing the wrath of the Chinese community showed how arrogant and insensitive you are to the multiracial society in Penang.
No wonder Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, calls you a low-class politician who has no concern for the feelings of fellow Malaysians.
I thought I liked you and attended your Hari Raya open house last year. I didn’t know you are just another mean jerk who is a racist.
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I am utterly surprised by the eerie silence on the part the Police when so many reports were made against this man for making a very seditious statement publicly.This man should be in court now and prosecuted by the police.
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TO THE MALAYS WHO QUESTION THE LOYALTY OF THE CHINESE-PLEASE GO TO THE LIBRARY AND READ THE BOOK ‘HISTORY OF MALAYA’.IF NOT FOR THE LOYALTY OF THE CHINESE FOR THIS COUNTRY AND THEIR RULER TUNKU KUDIN, FIGHTING SIDE BY SIDE WITH HIM AGAINST THE MIGHTY SIAMESE ARMY IN KEDAH AND TURNING THE SIAMESE ARMY BACK TO THEIR BASE-THIS COUNTRY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER THE SIAMESE RULE FOR LONG AGO.AT THAT TIME WE DONT KNOW AND THE CHINESE ALSO DONT KNOW WHETHER THEY GOING TO BE THE CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY YET THEY FOUGTH FULLHEARTEDLY WITH LOYALTY AGAINST THE ENEMIES THIS COUNTRY AND AGAINST THE FOREIGN AGRESSOR.THE CONTINOUS QUESTIONING OF THE CHINESE LOYATY BY THE UMNO MAKE THE CHINESE FEEL FRUSTRATED AND ALIENATED.THIS UMNO’S POLITICAL GAME OF QUESTIONING THE CHINESE OF THEIR STATUS TO BECOME POPULIST AND CHAMPION AMONG THE MALAYS SHOULD BE STOPPED FOREVER.FRANKLY SPEAKING THE MALAYS THEMSELVES DONT LIKE THAT.
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What Supreme Council Meeting??!!! Dont worry! Nothing will happen in the closed doors. Perhaps these UNNO guys will say “3 Cheers to Ahmad for being so clever!!! They will never learn. They had been getting away with these kind of remarks all along cos MIC and MCA and Gerakan could do nothing about it. But not after 8/3.The PEOPLES POWER SPEAKS .
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This is really uncalled for. Dato Ahmad should lose his title; get fired from the party and banished to Zimbawe.
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Why is Najib apologising on behalf of that gutless Ahmad? And who is going to apologise for Najib for his comment of bathing the kris …? Badawi?
What a bunch of disgusting losers.
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a lot people might not understand why UNO no willing to punish the ……., i would like to share my points here,
1. Dollar and Najib need Penang UMNO leaders support to hold their seats. That is why Najib dare to post his apology but no disciplinary action….
2. If UNO really do so (punishment), other UNO leaders will condemn their leaders because this never ever happens in … Party to punish their member on insulting other race. On the other hand, Ahmad is hero for them, how can Dollar punish their hero?
3. This is to show UNO still not willing incinerate Racism Theory, and only them can protect Malay supremacy, so punishment means they bend to ‘immigrant’, and also lose their last bullet in their politicking.
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so, apparently this issue comes to pass as predicted …
Racism institutionalised because even the group chief editor of the Star, Wong Chun Wai is pleading that this UMNO racist be given a chance to apologise and to end all.
http://terangbulannegaraku.blogspot.com/
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When one apologize,its wrong to state the word “if”,just apologize and that’s it ! Are you trying to say that if we were not disturbed by the statement then there is no need to apologize ? Najib’s apology is the same as that moron from Sabah ( I have forgotten his name ).Anyway,we are not happy with that kind of insincere apology.
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Political savvy
Pulling wools at our eyes?
I don’t know what to make sense of it
UMNO politicians never learn
On campaign trails
Going all out to woo the other races
To support BN and UMNO
Then whacked the other races sensibility
“Balik kampong”
…
UMNO politicians should think Malaysians
No more race bashing to suit their needs to survive
This is the country for all races united as Malaysians
This is the home of all
No matter what political affiliation one belongs
Ahmad Ismail should be severely dealt with
No quarter should be given to him
Saying sorry alone it doesn’t work now
He should charged under the appropriate laws
And expels from his party………………
Else UMNO leaders will come again
In its General Assembly…………..they never learn
Even the sleeping beauty just waves it away
He isn’t interested to discipline his member
What else is new here?
MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP
Wake up leaders leave the coalition
Do it now before you are sent to oblivion
In GE 13 the latest……………….
I am Anak Bangsa Malaysia
I don’t need racial slur to disrupt the peace in the country
We have enough problems to clobber our minds
We don’t need insensitive leaders to rub salt into our wounds
Enough……….time for change!
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1. i welcome the apology. but what about the statement on bathing your keris … i think this would be a good time to apologize for that too.
2. the main objectives for ahmad statement is to win malay votes at the expense of chinese. that would not be a good strategy. firstly, most malays know what you are trying to do and playing the racial card only portray yourself as a low class politician. what ahmad did not only left a bad taste in the mind of the malays but lost pp.
3. great man talk about ideas but a small man talk about other people. a great politician unite and built nation but a low class politician sow hatred. when you sow hatred be prepare to reap hatred. what ahmad said is totally irresponsible, to say least.
4. after ge12, i cannot imagine any politician would still want to play the racial card. unless they are still in a state of denial. unless they still think that they could manipulate the malay voters mind by claiming that they are champion of the malay struggle. wake up dude. the rakyat has totally rejected your claim that ‘menang sorak tapi kampung tergadai’.the rakyat malay, chinese and india do not buy that.
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much as i dislike najib, i think i have to speak up that it is not fair or proper to bring up his ‘keris will be bathed.. ‘ remark.
first of all that happened 21 years ago when he was still a youth. secondly if we can say that the umnoputers should not bring up anwar’s past dealings (esp. when he was a DPM), then to be fair we should not bring up najib’s too. for sure, when anwar was a DPM he had made racist bigoted remarks (or actions!) too and we had said it is not proper for umno to ‘assisinate his character’ based on his past. if that’s so, then we shouldn’t do that to najib too.
i don’t know with you guys but that’s how i feel. i criticise umno a lot for bringing up anwar’s past, therefore i feel i should not go back to najib’s past to criticise him.
anyway back to topic, i feel ahmad ismail should be the one to apoligise, not najib!
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These are the same pendatang that Pak Lah begs for support two days ago.
Funny, isn’t it ?
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14 more days to go..
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Actually I would have wished that Najib didnt apologise and maybe came up with the statement like Badawi, ie , he said it in the heat of the moment and he wont do it again nonsense.
If he had said that also instead of apoplogise, almost certain MCA, MIC and Gerakan will be totally wiped out if they remain in BeeEnd.
Sigh! He had to apologise.
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The DPM was at the ceramah when Ahmad said those racial words. Why didn’t he stop him or perhaps asked him to retract his statements then?
And do all Malaysian particularly the Chinese forget the incident when our beloved DPM sweared that he would bath his mighty keris…??
??????????
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A sincere apology comes without excuses.
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Some may say it is better late than never. But we say it is a little too little and too late.
who knows public apology will soon be elevated to the same status like “statutory declarations” and “swearing” in Boleh land1
http://veonszu.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/too-little-too-late-our-dear-mr-deputy-prime-minister/
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