KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Bangsa Malaysia today joined the condemnation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s use of the term “k****g” in a recent speech, saying it mirrored the use of the phrase “estate Indian” during the Selangor election in August.
Describing Anwar’s apology as “half-baked”, Selangor PBM vice-chairman Krishna Govinth said it was unacceptable, and disheartening that the prime minister had not recognised the sensitivities surrounding the term.
“The expectation that minorities should overlook such derogatory language only perpetuates a culture of insensitivity.
“We must hold ourselves to a higher standard, and it is disconcerting to witness a lack of accountability by the administration in addressing such matters,” Krishna said in a statement.
Anwar said he had used the term, considered a racial slur, as a citation from a book, “Hikayat Hang Tuah”.
He also apologised for any misunderstanding over the word, spoken during a dialogue with university students, and said he had not intended to insult anyone.
Shah Alam PKR deputy chief Najwan Halimi also courted controversy earlier this year after describing Parti Sosialis Malaysia as an “Indian estate party”. He later took full responsibility for his statement and apologised.
Krishna said Anwar’s comment, coupled with the absence of an Indian Tamil minister and the move of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit to the unity ministry, indicated a “lack of consideration for the needs and aspirations of the Indian community”.
“It further perpetuates the perception that our concerns are not a priority. It is disheartening to witness the prime minister prioritise electoral gains over the well-being and representation of minority communities.
“The Indian community should not be treated as a mere electoral fixed deposit. The Indian community deserves genuine representation, respect, and acknowledgment of its concerns.” - FMT
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