Dr Chua Soi Lek, Gerakan slammed for turning a blind eye on Namewee

Namewee faces arrest for his 'Nah' video

Malaysia Chronicle

As signs turn increasingly ominous for controversial rapper Namewee, Pakatan Rakyat leaders flayed MCA president Chua Soi Lek for turning a blind eye to the youngster’s plight despite blatant double standards imposed by the Umno-led government in the case.

“How can the MCA leadership with four Ministers in Cabinet take such an irresponsible position, giving a blank cheque to racists and extremists to set the agenda as to the punishment that should be meted out to Meng Chee? Isn’t this a gross abdication of responsibility in government?” said DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang in a statement.

Not only irresponsible, absence of fair play

Kit Siang is among the first Pakatan leaders who have spoken up for the 27-year Namewee, whose full name is Wee Meng Chee. PKR strategic director Tian Chua and vice president Lee Boon Chye have waged a verbal onslaught against Namewee’s perceived persecution.

Muhyddin warns of stern action

The Muar-based rapper got into trouble with the authorities after releasing a three-minute video tape lambasting two Malay school principals for hurling racial slurs at their Chinese and Indian pupils. But despite the underlying anti-racism message in Namewee's video, several Umno and BN leaders including Soi lek have seized on the vulgar language Namewee used and counter-accused him of being racist against the Malays and of having committed sedition.

There is also speculation that Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had wanted to play up Namewee’s video so as to deflect pressure from his ministry to act against the two teachers. Muhyiddin is also the Education minister and has tried to delay making a decision on their fates. While both headmistresses have apologized, there is strong public demand for them to receive stiffer punishment including demotion or even sacking and prosecution under the Sedition Act.

Tian calls for fair play

“As far as most Malaysians are concerned, there is no fairness in this case at all. The BN government including Soi Lek is only bullying and twisting the facts. Namewee’s video is available and people can judge for themselves. What the two headmistresses have said are also record. How can you turn something that is not racist into racism and something that really is racism into something that is not,” PKR’s Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"We hope the government will be fair not just to Namewee but also to the two teachers. We do not want anyone to unjustly punished. But the BN government must act fairly – who is wrong must be punished fairly and befitting of the wrongdoing. It cannot simply manipulate just to achieve a certain political outcome to benefit its own leaders.”

MCA, Gerakan neglected Namewee's rights

Kit Siang: MCA irresponsible

BN multiracial component Gerakan has been silent on the issue although its Kedah leaders were among the first to report on one of the headmistresses. Both women had allegedly told their Chinese pupils to go back to China and one of them even likened the Indian students to dogs.

The pair has also apologized to the pupils’ parents, while Namewee too has withdrawn his video from Youtube and issued a clarification that he had not meant to hurt the Malay community. He said his only target was to teach the two teachers a lesson for hurling racist remarks at their pupils.

Soi Lek - sex scandal in 2007

However, while no further police action has been taken against the headmistresses, Namewee was interrogated by the MACC for 7 hours on Friday. A few days earlier, he was quizzed by the police for 3 hours. He has said he fears he will be arrested soon and the sound bites coming from Muhyiddin do indicate that he may be taken in by the authorities.

“Is the video crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene? Yes. I have said twice publicly that I do not approve of the crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene style used by Namewee but that is different from saying that it is seditious or racist and deserves the harshest criminal action to be taken against Meng Chee,” said Kit Siang..

“This is also why I cannot agree with the public stand of the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek who declared on National Day eve that MCA fully supports any action taken by the government against Meng Chee. Does this include action under the Sedition Act or other capital offences?"

Double standards

PKR vice president Lee Boon Chye has also slammed the double standards displayed against Namewee and called for Prime Minister Najib Razak to intervene to stem the rising unhappiness amongst the non-Malays especially the Chinese over the Namewee flare-up.

Boon Chye: Don't drag on

“It cannot go on like this. Surely, there must be an outcome. If Muhyiddin continues to procrastinate, the feelings of unfairness and racial discrimination will only get stronger,” Boon Chye told Malaysia Chronicle.

Boon Chye also took Soi Lek to task for hypocrisy towards Namewee, referring to the 2007 video scandal where the 63-year old MCA president had been filmed having sex with his mistress. The video was widely viewed around the world and Soi Lek has blamed his foes within MCA for sabotaging his career.

“Soi Lek has no moral standing to criticize Namewee. No matter how vulgar Namewee was in his expression, it cannot be worse than Soi Lek’s video. Just ask youselves, if our children listened to Namewee’s tape and then watched Soi Lek’s video, which one would be the greater negative influence,” said Boon Chye.