Hello all ‘pendatang’! Remember ‘Dengan kuat kuasa undang undang’?

Ng Kee Seng

Gerakan is absolutely right in suspending its Johor delegate Tan Lai Soon for three years for saying Malays were immigrants.

That was also what Umno did when it suspended then Bukit Bendera Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail in 2008 for three years for describing Malaysian citizens of Chinese descent as “pendatang” (immigrants).

Whether the remarks uttered by Tan are true or based on facts is immaterial.

Just because the Malays are calling non-Malay Malaysians pendatang does not give others the right to utter the same.It’s the same analogy as: If one eats shit, it does not mean we also do the same.

So, the Umno Malays are now given a dose of their own medicine and they are furious. If you feel hurt by Tan’s statement, then why do you want to continue to utter the same?

In fact, no Malaysian have any business calling another Malaysian pendatang.

All born in Malaysia are Malaysians. Not pendatang.

To racial, religious and Umno bigots, have you not heard of this when Malaysians once needed to fill government forms under the nationality column: “Dengan kuat kuasa undang undang”.

Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teck Meng had defended Tan’s suspension, saying the party had to set an example for other political parties to follow.

Liang said Gerakan did not want leaders of other parties to make racist or extremist statements in the future.

“We have to show that we are a party of principles, hence we have to set an example for others to follow,” Liang told a media conference in the party headquarters yesterday.

“Even in parliament there are rules and regulations for MPs to follow, we are not allowed to make statements which are racist in nature or hurt the feelings of other races.

“Therefore, I appeal to all Gerakan members to be principled and understand the reasons for Tan’s suspension by the central working committee.”

The Malaysian Insider quoted Liang, the Simpang Renggam MP, as saying: “… none of the different races in Malaysia were pendatang nor should they be labelled as such.

“When Tan made his statement, it went against the party’s principles and rules. Nobody is a pendatang and that is the Gerakan stand.”

Liang said he was surprised that DAP stalwarts Lim Kit Siang and Teresa Kok had supported Tan’s statement, expressing his anger.

Well, Kok and, especially Kit Siang, should be ashamed of their support for Tan. So, Kok and Kit Siang, if the Malays are pendatang, so are you? Am I wrong?

Kok and Kit Siang, both of you made a very rash statement. But then, you are only human, and so are prone to making mistakes. You both owe peace-loving Malaysians an apology for supporting Malaysians calling each other pendatang.

Please, practise what you preach. No discrimination please, when you open your gab.

Well said Liang.

Either we are all Malaysians or we are all pendatang, except for the Orang Asli/OrangAsal or the aborigines.