'Omputeh' can, China cannot? Rahman Dahlan asks Muhyiddin

As someone who once "sold" Malaysia to Western investors, it is hypocritical of former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to now cry wolf over Chinese investments, sniped BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

"I ask that Muhyiddin not to be hypocritical in telling us to say no investors from China, but say nothing about ‘omputeh’ (Western) investors. People might think it is racist," Abdul Rahman posted on his Twitter account today.

Abdul Rahman was using the colloquial Malaysian term "omputeh", which is a corrupted slang derived from the Malay term "Orang Putih" (white people).

The Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government was commenting on the adversarial stance taken by Muhyiddin's party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) over investments from China being pursued by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration.

The opposition, including Bersatu has been speaking out against the Chinese investments, worried that it may lead to Malaysia being at the beck and call of the world superpower in its chess game of global politics and hegemony over the South China Sea.

In any case, Abdul Rahman recalled that when Muhyiddin was part of the BN-led federal government, he too pursued foreign investment aggressively, specifically “inviting” Western investors to come to Malaysia without mention of any worry over our sovereignty.

"Last time I followed Muhyiddin to London to campaign for investors to come to Malaysia. Muhyiddin himself was very aggressive in asking the 'omputeh' to invest here," he said in another tweet.

The Kota Belud MP argued that Bersatu must have a cogent policy on the economy of its own if it takes such pot-shots at the BN-led government's initiatives.

"I want to ask Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leaders, where is your official economic policy?" he asked in another tweet, and in a parting shot asked Bersatu leaders not to spend too much time jockeying for the president's post.

The newly formed Bersatu went through an upheaval recently as several members quit, while Anina Saadudin once tipped to be its women's wing chief, was later relieved of the post. Observers believe this may be part of a realignment of power, if not an outright struggle for influence.- Mkini