According to The Star Online they did, addressing their apologies to the lady insulted, MP Fong Po Kuan for Batu Gajah, as well as to all Malaysian women.
Not so, said malaysiakini in a report that quoted one of those … slimy things …, who denied making any apology – probably a case of mana boleh, aku anak jantan lah.
Apologise? Has any UMNO bloke ever apologised for mistakes* or slurs, either of the racist or sexist type? Too much to hope for, I guess.
* remember Hishamuddin Hussein somehow persuaded the cabinet to reprimand MCA minister Ong Tee Keat for rasing a corruption issue that fell under Hishamuddin Hussein’s bailiwick, the Education Ministry. Ong was proven right but Hishamuddin did never apologise for raving and ranting about Ong’s ‘baseless allegation’. The other bloke who didn’t apologise falls under the ‘racist’ variety
Indeed Slug A said: "Why should I apologise? This was a matter raised during debate in Parliament. This is usual."
There you have it – it’s “usual” parliamentary conduct to make tasteless sexist innuendoes! May God save us from such unrepentant, unapologetic, uncouth ..… things!
Slug B did not pick up his telephone when contacted – maybe he has crawled back under the stone from where he had emerged?
But what has taken the cake must surely be the words of the (usually) most careful man in Malaysian politics, Najib Razak. There are already a couple of letters to malaysiakini lambasting him for suggesting on ntv7's 8 pm news on Monday that those BN louts' sexist remarks in Parliament were a ‘form of humour’ – undoubtedly the ‘usual’ type.
What is it about Malaysian leaders (politicians and senior civil servants) that they must defend the indefensible?
It’s not just the BN. It’s a Malaysian trait, as if admonishing their subordinates for the latter’s sins, mistakes and wayward errors would reflect on their own personal selves. There's an unexplained 'seige' mentality.
Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad, for whom I have some respect, did once attempt to do the right thing by supporting the opposition’s motion to refer ‘close-one-eye’ monkey to the parliamentary privilege committee, but for his brave and righteous stand, he was punished by his party.
In this ‘leaking’ case, Shahrir tried to steer a (personal) middle course by admonishing the DAP for sensationalising the case when the two parties should discuss the issue quietly. Datuk, you know that's not good enough. I feel sorry for Shahrir who must be cringing at the tasteless behaviour of his UMNO
So, are you going to apologize for calling a MIC veteran an *aneh*? Hypocrite.
ReplyDeleteI don't wnat to castigate you for your ignorance - you obviously have no clue what 'aneh' means. Good to find out before you shoot your own foot.
ReplyDeleteBay is also repectable. All Punjabis like to be called that?
ReplyDeleteAsk Karpal Singh. Kalinga was a great Indian civilization. All Indians like to be called keling (apologies to all Indian readers)?
This justification was actually used in Parliament. You are in "good" company.
Words like these are actually worse than plain insults because people can refer to their original context and claim that you are either ignorant or over-sensitive. This is the technique that some MPs use and justify. Some bloggers have joined in too. Imagine a white Australian calling you a slant-eyed rice-eater - it would be factual and on the face of it containe no insulting words, but how many people who are on the receiving end of this would take this as not being insulting? You are using sophistry to hide bigotry.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of apologies, to this day Karpal Singh has not received that apology. According to your logic the word was respectful and he must have been ignorant - amazing considering his Punjabi heritage.
ReplyDeleteInteresting isn't it?
ReplyDeleteA white Australian would laugh if you called him a blue-eyed meatpie-eater. But him calling you a slant-eyed rice-eater would produce a different reaction in you. In fact - he can even use it as a justification for calling you a slant-eyed rice-eater. Why not, he doesn't mind being called a blue-eyed meatpie-eater. The two appelations are of the same grammatical and semantic form. Why not?
So, you understand now? *Aneh* may have an innocent meaning. But notice that an Indian would never refer to another Indian as an *aneh* when writing in English and he wants to be respectful.
Hard to say sorry...
ReplyDeletehttp://malaysiancartoons.blogspot.com/2007/05/apology-hard-to-say-sorry.html
You should see him on his high horse pontificating about the lack of apologies from *other* people.
ReplyDelete