Former Health minister turned MCA president Chua Soi Lek's focus on Penang chief minister's genitalia to prove a point in the debate over a non-Malay prime minister has shocked DAP leaders, who condemned him as "vulgar" and a "national disgrace".
"Is it just me or does anyone else think that was such a crude remark?" snapped Subang Jaya state assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh.
Chua had told several Chinese-language newspapers yesterday that Lim Guan Eng, the DAP secretary general, could never become a prime minister "even if he cut it", in an apparent reference to the practice of male circumcision which is considered a sunnah (encouraged) in Islam.
"Will he cut? But even if he cut it, he would still not be acceptable (as prime minister) because he would not be a true Muslim [sic]," said Chua, whose sex tryst with a prostitute in 2008 forced him to announce resignation from all party and government posts, only to come back as party president two years later.
The remark was immediately condemned by DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, who challenged MCA cybertroopers on the Internet to come to Chua's defence.
"Let's see who will come to defence of the disgusting disgraceful example of MCA President. Language mentality standard of MCA President CSL utterly disgusting - a real national disgrace," he said in several tweets.
Lim also challenged MCA cabinet members to "defend coarse crude vulgar language mentality standard of their MCA President".
DAP chairman Karpal Singh was earlier quoted by UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia as saying that he would continue to struggle to see a non-Malay become a prime minister. Although DAP leaders distanced from the remark by suggesting the statement had been misquoted, it sparked strong reactions from BN leaders.
PAS Murshidul Am Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat however said there was nothing wrong for a non-Malay to become the prime minister as long as he or she was a Muslim.
Netizens react
Meanwhile, Chua's comments invited reactions online reminding the former Health minister's extramarital affair.
"You are lucky not potong [cut] by your wife!" came the response from one reader commenting on Malaysiakini.
"In my opinion Chua Soi Lek should 'potong' his to prevent Gonorrhea germs from his prostitution spreading," said another.
Others pointed out that Chua was continuing his trademark Islamophobia by zeroing in on the practice of circumcision in Islam. One reader said Chua had only shown his ignorance about the subject because circumcision was not only practised by Muslims but also other religions, and had become a normal medical procedure among modern males.
Chua has prior to this made several remarks criticising Islamic values. In 2010, he linked corruption to Islam and Muslims and called for PAS to be rejected. Later that year, he expressed disappointment that shops in Kelantan were closed for Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration.
During the Tenang by-election campaign in Johor last year, Chua poked fun at Muslim women who chose not to have physical contact with the opposite sex, and asked "what's so great about Muslim values?" Last December, he condemned Islamic laws as "cruel" for its punishments on serious crimes, saying investors would run away.
Ever since his sex video became public, Chua has been a target of sexually-oriented jokes on the cyberspace. In March last year, after being bombarded with Twitter messages poking fun at him, the 65-year old indulged in profanity on the microblogging site.
--Harakahdaily
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