Unrepentant Rayer says Umno using his remarks as by-elections’ campaign fodder

The DAP lawmaker at the centre of a controversy for his "Umno celaka" remark has blamed the ugly repercussions on Umno's use of racial politics as its "final frontier" and campaign fodder in the two federal by-elections today and next weekend.

Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N Rayer (pic) has yet to be censured by his party or the Penang assembly for his remarks, but pointed out that Umno members had used derogatory terms on him in the past.

"I suppose I will have to be very careful with my choice of words but honestly, any word can be twisted," he told The Malaysian Insider at his home in Penang yesterday.

“Of course, I will continue to be vocal. But at the same time, I will tell myself to be cautious and wiser so as not to fall into their trap."

The 37-year-old Rayer found himself in a storm of controversy after he referred to three Umno members as "celaka" (damn), for insinuating that DAP had caused the May 13, 1969, racial riots.

"I said those things because you say 1Malaysia all over the place and suddenly you have three of your representatives carrying inflammatory banners, suggesting that DAP was responsible for the May 13 riots and asking if we want a repeat of that."

Rayer was referring to the gathering organised by Malay NGOs in Seberang Jaya on January 18 who were unhappy with Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon over his "I love Kangkung" flash mob, which featured an effigy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being "fed" with kangkung (water spinach), a gesture that made fun of the leader's earlier remark that the price of the vegetable had gone down.

Rayer, a practising lawyer, joined the DAP in 1998 after working for the late Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh.

"I chambered with the late Mr Karpal, who had a lot of influence on my political career."

Speaking fondly of his former boss, Rayer said he owed his vocal trait partly to Karpal, the former DAP national chairman, who taught him that if "something needs to be said, it just has to be said, despite the consequences".

"There are no two ways about it. I will not mince my words," he added.

The Alor Star-born Rayer said he had not expected his remark to provoke such an outburst, particularly from Umno Youth members who had barged into the Penang state assembly on Thursday looking for him.

"I really did not expect this. Why make a mountain out of a molehill? They have used even more derogatory terms on me – keling, pariah, haram jadah and others."

He pointed out that in DAP's mega ceramah on Friday, PAS MP Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa had asked what was wrong with a DAP leader using that word.

"He said in his speech that the people in PAS have been using that term on Umno all the time and questioned their biasness in attacking me when I used it on three of their members," said Rayer.

"In fact, they (Umno) have used worse derogatory terms in the course of a debate in Parliament."

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who took to Twitter last night to condemn Rayer for his remarks, he said this was nothing short of double standards.

"What about the inflammatory statements which are spoken every year in the Umno General Assembly about the Chinese and the Indians? They go on a rampage.

"So how can there be a set of rules for you and a set of rules for us?" he asked.

Following Rayer's remarks at the state assembly sitting on Tuesday, a group of 30 stormed the Penang legislative assembly the following day, disrupted the sitting and demanded to see Rayer.

On Thursday, Umno Youth members gathered outside the DAP headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and threatened to torch the building.

Another group pelted the DAP office in Kuantan on Friday with eggs. In both incidents, they damaged the signboards outside the premises.

The following is Rayer’s take on the episode:

Q: Why do you think your using the word "celaka" has become such an issue with Umno?

A: I think it is because of the by-elections (Bukit Gelugor and Teluk Intan). I suppose they are just overplaying it because they are bankrupt of ideas. They can't take it that we are making inroads into the Malay heartland especially in Sungai Gelugor, Tun Sardon, Kampung Melayu. We have gone to the ground and done a lot of work there. We have solid support from the Malays there.

And also the fact that we fielded Dyana Sofya (Mohd Daud) in Teluk Intan. She has been mesmerising the crowd there and I think people are beginning to see a new DAP, a DAP where the party can be represented by Malays. Umno is beginning to feel very threatened and insecure about that. They were looking for an opportunity to attack and I suppose I gave it to them.

Q: Why did you repeat "Umno celaka" in a ceramah on Island Glades after the state assembly incident? Why the need to provoke them? This allegation was made by state opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid.

A: I must set the record straight. I never repeated these words in the ceramah. Not at all. Whatever I said, I was basically explaining what transpired in the assembly. I was saying Mr Karpal himself had said those words before so why make an issue out of it?

She (Jahara) said I tried to be a hero and repeated it at the ceramah... but I never did that. There were many reporters and my other colleagues were all there. Never at any point of time did I repeat these words. Instead I explained that during the sitting, I had made no reference to Umno in general. I was just referring to the three people.

Q: She also criticised you for asking for a 24-hour police protection.

A: Yes, I am worried for my life. If not my life, then for the security of my wife, my parents and my children who are schooling.

I can’t imagine what would have happened to me if I had been at the state assembly at that time (when the intrusion happened). They would have assaulted me. I also saw inflammatory banners hung all over my constituency meant to stir up racial sentiments, which I found quite worrying.

Q: Aren't you worried about losing support from your constituents, especially from the Malays?

A: I've gone to the ground and my constituents know what kind of a person I am. Outside the assembly, I am not as violent and as fierce as they portray me to be.

Fortunately for me, I just went for a gotong-royong with my PAS friends and that relationship we've built is as solid as ever. They are not buying all these insinuations and traps set by Umno.