Ahmad Maslan: Please don’t ridicule my dad

The deputy minister is sad that his late father is made fun of in two new Android games.

PETALING JAYA: Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan has expressed dismay and sadness that his late father has been made the subject of ridicule as part of the public attack on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and his defence of it.

In an interview with Astro Awani, Ahmad referred to the promotion on social media of two new Android games, “Maslan 3.85 Extended Version” and “Tampar Maslan”. “Tampar” is the Malay word for “slap”.

Ahmad pointed out that “Maslan” was his father’s name and that he didn’t have anything to do with GST.

“My father is long gone,” he said. “Please don’t disgrace him. Maslan was a poor rubber tapper who couldn’t read or write. What wrong has he done to be treated like this?”

He said he wondered whether the developers of the game really did not know his name or were deliberately trying to insult his father to get at him.

After the Awani interview, Ahmad sent out a Twitter message saying essentially the same thing. Reactions from other Twitter users indicated that many sympathised with him. Some condemned the games’ developers for their insensitivity.