Zahid accuses Kula of twisting non-Malay patriotism remarks

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi accused DAP’s M. Kulasegaran today of “twisting” his remarks on the participation of non-Malays in the Malaysian Armed Forces, now says that the DAP MP had used the issue as a platform in the recent Perak DAP elections.

Last month, when replying to a question from Setiu MP Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee during Question Time in Parliament, Zahid had said that there were only 903 non-Malays in the Malaysian Armed Forces who had joined the service within the last two years, attributing the weak presence to their “low spirit of patriotism”.

The remark drew criticism from politicians across the political divide, who accused the minister of being insensitive and unfair to non-Malays.

“I want to state strongly that my statement has been twisted by Ipoh Barat because he needed an issue when he was contesting in DAP Perak, of which he lost. I have no racial prejudice with any race, Ipoh Barat is twisting things,” said Zahid (picture).

Parliament today during the committee stage debate for the Defence Ministry, where Kulasegaran had pushed for a motion to cut Zahid the Defence Minister’s salary by RM10.

Parliament subsequently rejected the motion after a bloc division with 69 votes against the motion while only 33 had pushed for the motion to be passed.

Zahid also sought to reiterate today what he claimed was a misinterpretation of his ministerial reply in Parliament last month.

“I have never said ‘lack of patrotism’. I only said the level of patriotism might not be high enough, but that does not mean there is no patriotism among non-Malays,” said the Defence Minister.

Yesterday Zahid told Parlaiment that he had not meant to hurt the feelings of non-Malays when he attributed their low presence in the military to their “low spirit of patriotism”.

“I feel it is unfortunate if my answer to the House in November had hurt the feelings of any race,” he said when he rose to explain his statement after Question Time. He however, stopped short of apologising over his remarks.

An attempt by Kulasegaran to force an apology our of Zahid proved futile again today as the Umno vice-president stuck to his guns, saying that there was “no need for an apology.”

“On November 9, according to you, you wanted to challenge me after question time at 11.30am and you accused me of running away from answering your challenge. I didn’t run and I’m not afraid of you. I left because I had a meeting with the US secretary of defence. You are really a spin doctor, Ipoh Barat. As for the DPM saying that I should apologise, he did not know what was happening here, he was overseas. He didn’t know Ipoh Barat was spinning it!,” said Zahid.

The Umno lawmaker then, in an attempt to show that he was not a racist, told Parliament that he shared a dorm with an Indian back when he was a student in Universiti Malaya (UM)

“I have many Indians and Chinese friends and voters in my area. I have no racial prejudice. I used to share a dorm with an Indian. My final year in UM I shared a room with an Indian,” said Zahid which invited scoffs and laughter from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers.

“What does that have to do with anything? That does not explain the statement you made as a minister,” said Kulasegaran today.

In a Cabinet meeting shortly after the incident, a gag order was issued on all ministers, prohibiting them from arguing openly about the patriotism of non-Malays pertaining to their low presence in the armed forces.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon explained to reporters that the order had come under the advice of the prime minister.

“We have taken a stand as the Cabinet and the PM had advised us that no more, all rhetoric and arguments, in the open. Do work to show that we’re sincere in wanting the armed forces to be better represented,” he had reportedly said. - Malaysian Insider