STAND UP TO BULLIES, RAYER! I’ve been called worse, did they apologize - DAP rep

GEORGE TOWN - The Penang representative whose words “celaka Umno” purportedly triggered an invasion of the state assembly here is adamant he will not apologise for the remark.

Instead, Seri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer now says there was nothing wrong with the word he used.

“’Celaka is a common word that we always use in jest, so they should just take it in jest,” he said when denying that he had applied the word on all of Umno or the Malays.

He added that he has been called worse things by a Barisan Nasional assemblyman, such as “haramjadah”, in state assembly but said he did not react violently against it.

Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer is adamant he will not apologise for the remark that triggered an invasion of the Penang state assembly, saying that he has been called worse things by a Barisan Nasional assemblyman but did not react violently to it.

“Haramjadah is worse than the word ‘celaka’ and I didn’t simply come into the Hall and starting calling everyone names for no reason, otherwise I would be sent to a mental hospital,” he said.

Rayer today explained that he aimed the offending term specifically at three Umno leaders: Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina, Tasek Gelugor MP Shahbudin Yahya and Penang Umno deputy chief Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir.

“I was pointing out that these three leaders organised a rally in Seberang Jaya early this year and had held up banners stating ‘May 13 disebabkan pemimpim DAP, mau lagi’,”

“I had only wanted to say ‘Damn, how could they do this?’, so translated, I used the word ‘celaka’,” the lawmaker said.

Today, Rayer admitted that he had feared for his life when he heard about the demonstration and commotion at the legislative assembly yesterday.

The lawyer also claimed the fracas yesterday that saw a dozen men from the group storming into the state assembly, and another gathering this morning by the Umno members, was meant to influence Malay voters ahead of the Bukit Gelugor and Teluk Intan by-elections.

When debating the Governor’s speech on Tuesday, Rayer uttered the words “celaka Umno (damn Umno”, triggering outrage among the party’s lawmakers.

The incident later prompted a group of some 50 Umno members to protest outside the state assembly before forcing their way onto the grounds and into the House to hunt down Rayer for an apology, before leaving frustrated.

The police later said they had detained 12 men to assist in investigations, aged between 22 and 35 years. All 12 were released on bail at 1am this morning.

The state assembly has since approved two motions condemning the intrusion into the august hall, demanding that criminal charges be brought against the culprits and also demanding that State Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid apologise on their behalf. -Malaymail