'LEAVE MALAYSIA' CALL: MCA, MIC, Gerakan offer TIMID protests, Najib & Muhyiddin DEAF & DUMB!

Several Barisan Nasional leaders have spoken out against a Wanita Umno division leader for telling critics of the government to leave Malaysia.

They said the remarks by Kuantan Wanita Umno division head Datuk Zaiton Mat (pic) were "silly" and "uncalled for", adding that voicing out grievances is neither unpatriotic nor disloyal.

"What's wrong with that, it is not tantamount to betraying the country," said newly-elected MCA deputy president Datuk Wee Ka Siong.

Wee said it was normal for people in a democratic society to voice out unhappiness over matters such as the rising cost of living.

Last Friday, Zaiton, fresh from lodging a police report against a planned New Year's Eve rally to protest price hikes, hit out at critics of the government, saying they ignored BN's efforts to build peace and harmony in the country.

"Some people, who are bent on causing disturbances and disharmony, are not thankful for the benefits they are enjoying.

"Why do they want to destroy the country’s peace by organising a gathering to topple the government?" she asked, echoing allegations by police and Umno bloggers that the gathering called by student activists is aimed at toppling the government.

Rally organisers have denied the charge, saying the protest was to express the public's dissatisfaction over the rising costs of living.

Wee, however, attempted to distance Zaiton's view from Umno.

"Sometimes, it is hard to control the grassroots. Leaders at divisional level should be more careful with their statements as whatever they say may be construed as the party’s stand," he said.

Meanwhile, Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong said no person has the right to tell a citizen to leave the country just because of differing views.

"Leaders should not simply make statements which will hurt other communities. We should not have such attitudes especially after the Prime Minister had said the government wanted to reach out to everyone," he said, adding that he hoped there would be less such offensive statements in future.

MIC vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan appeared visibly upset over Zaiton's remarks, saying she did not understand politics and governance.

"She should not spoil the harmony of the country. I don't want to talk about this kind of people," he said.

Zaiton's remarks echoed similar statements by Umno leaders in the past.

In 2008, Penang Umno politician Ahmad Ismail was suspended by his party for uttering the word "pendatang" (immigrant) during the Permatang Pauh by-election.

The same year, two teachers from Johor and Kedah sparked uproar after allegedly making racial slurs at their non-Malay students.

In 2010, then defence minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ruffled feathers when he told Parliament that Chinese and Indians were “not patriotic enough”, in explaining the low number of the two communities in the armed forces.

Also in 2010, a special officer to the Prime Minister got into hot soup for labelling Indians and Chinese "immigrants", and for saying that Chinese women came to Malaysia to indulge in prostitution. Datuk Nasir Safar, however, denied making such statements, but quit his post. - TMI