CAMERON POLLS | PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin says there is no need for action to be taken against senator Bob Manolan Mohd over the latter's remarks regarding the salaries of Orang Asli tok batin (village chiefs) in Cameron Highlands.
Zuraida said while she has not read the PKR senator's clarification, she is confident that his words were misinterpreted by the media.
"I am confident what he said was misinterpreted as though he said if (the tok batin) don't support Pakatan Harapan, they won't get salaries. I don't think that's what he said.
"I have not read Bob Manolan's explanation, but I think he is not someone who simply says something like that. This needs to be looked into," she told Malaysiakini when met at a public luncheon in Ampang today.
She added that the senator was likely trying to explain to the Cameron Highlands Orang Asli that their salaries come from the federal government, which is now run by Harapan and not BN.
Bob Manolan yesterday said that the tok batin could lose their posts and income if they do not support the Pakatan Harapan government.
He later clarified that he meant the village chiefs should not be involved with Umno while receiving an allowance from Putrajaya due to a conflict in interest.
However, he did not touch on his comment about depriving the tok batin of their posts or salaries, which was caught in an audio recording.
Zuraida said if Bob Manolan is wrong, he only needs to apologise.
"If he was wrong, he can apologise. There's no need (for action); it could have been a slip of the tongue," Zuraida said.
-Mkini
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