Racist remarks "Chinese were immigrants": No action taken

PETALING JAYA: The MCA is shocked that no action is being taken against the Prime Minister's former aide Datuk Nasir Safar, who was earlier accused of making racist remarks at a 1Malaysia seminar.

MCA publicity bureau deputy chief Loh Seng Kok said some form of government action should have been instituted against both Nasir and former Bukit Bendera Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail.

(Ahmad sparked a public outcry after his alleged remarks that Chinese were pendatang or immigrants, during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election in 2008. He was suspended by Umno for three years but the suspension was lifted in December last year.)

"This is to serve as a deterrent to other Malaysians from wantonly categorising individuals, irrespective of nationality or ethnicity, with derogatory terms," Loh said in a statement here Tuesday.

He said failure take action would only embolden other racist-bent Malaysians to espouse bigoted views and then conveniently apologise for their statements.

Loh said the reasoning that the labelling of Chinese and Indians in Malaysia as pendatang referred to economic migrants, and not locally-born Chinese or Indians, was flawed and unacceptable to public sensibilities.

"It is insulting to our ancestors, who contributed tremendously to the growth, development and wealth of our beloved nation," Loh said.

He said it did not matter if the labels were meant for economic migrants, and that Malaysian Chinese and Indians were offended by it.

"It is paramount that guidelines with definitive parameters are established as to what form of content, be it verbal or publication or public policy, is tantamount to inciting racial ill-will and sedition," he said.

He said it was now not uncommon for mankind, irrespective of country of origin, to venture abroad for economic opportunities or legally settle down in other continents for foreign direct investment, higher salaries or experience.

"The application of the term economic migrants is an insult to all individuals working overseas, away from their own country," he said.