Home Minister not racist — MP

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SIBU: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is urging the general public to refrain from branding Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi a racist for his comment on the 13th general election.

In a press statement yesterday, he said the people should instead read his full text of speech published in Utusan Malaysia on May 16 in order not to take his speech out of context.

Tiong said he had to speak out for Ahmad Zahid because Pakatan Rakyat had twisted his speech in order to paint him as a racist.

“I am saddened. As I see it, the opposition has virtually cut and pasted the few words they wanted in Ahmad Zahid’s text to make the minister look like a racist, thereby stirring hatred among Malaysians.”

Tiong said he had read the minister’s full text of speech, “and what Ahmad Zahid had stressed is that Malaysia is adopting the Commonwealth system of democratic election, and those who prefer the republican system, like that of the US, should consider emigrating to a republican country”.

Tiong said Ahmad Zahid’s actual statement reads: “If the opposition coalition insists on forming the government based on the majority of votes, and not on seat majority, then, they should emigrate to a republican country.”

He said Ahmad Zahid had even mentioned in his speech that both the ruling and the opposition coalitions had agreed since the first Malaysian election that the coalition which won the most seats would form the government under the laws and the constitution of the nation.

“Why only stir the matter now, but not in the 12th general election? To me, the opposition just chose a phrase in Ahmad Zahid’s speech that they wanted to stir unrest.”

Tiong regretted the opposition had ignored the fact that the election system of Malaysia had worked well since independence.

“Now, they are misleading the people by quoting the republican system that the coalition which got the majority votes should rule.”

Tiong wondered why Pakatan Rakyat had rushed to hold swearing-in ceremonies in the three states they won – Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.

He said that in Kelantan, Pakatan Rakyat won with a one-seat majority, but why had they not been shouting on forming the government based on the majority votes?

“It is not right for a political party to accept an election when its outcome is on their favourable side and reject it when the system works against them.”