Ahmad: Why should I apologise?
By ANDREA FILMER [Source]

GEORGE TOWN: Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail has refused to apologise over his racist remark calling the Chinese community “immigrants who do not deserve equal rights”.

“Why should I apologise? I didn’t do anything wrong. Those who do wrong should apologise but I haven’t done anything,” Ahmad said when The Star met him outside his Bayan Baru office yesterday.

He, however, refused to comment on whether the press misquoted him.

Sounding calm and collected on the phone, he said a full statement on what transpired would be released after a Penang Umno liaison meeting tomorrow.
Man in the news: Ahmad gesturing as he replies to a question in Bayan Baru yesterday. He said he had been leading a sepak takraw team to a tournament in Bangkok.

He added that he would not say much at present, but wanted to clear up the issue of reporting to the police.

Police are currently investigating five reports lodged against Ahmad under the Sedition Act 1948 for uttering the remarks at a ceramah on the eve of the Permatang Pauh by-election.

He said there were reports of his going to the Bukit Mertajam police station on Wednesday night (to make a statement).

“I want to make it clear that I never told anyone or informed anyone that I would be there. It was their assumption,” he said.

Ahmad recorded a statement at the police contingent headquarters in Penang Road at about 10pm the same night while pressmen from television, online and print media were waiting for him on the mainland.

Asked where he had been over the last few days, Ahmad confirmed that he had been leading a sepak takraw team to a tournament in Bangkok.

“My phone has been on and off, but a lot of my anak buah (supporters) have been calling me, so maybe that’s why it has been hard to get through,” he said.

On the alleged misappropriation of funds involving now-defunct company Popular Profile Sdn Bhd (PPSB), Ahmad said he had resigned before any action was taken on the company.

“This issue has nothing to do with me. Action is taken on a company, not on a personal capacity. Moreover, I resigned from the company on Sept 1, 1998. What happened after that, I don’t know.

“The Chief Minister (Lim Guan Eng) shouldn’t be using his political muscle and power to attack me,” he said, adding that he would not say more on the land deal until he had checked the details.

Lim had recently attacked Ahmad on a 1997 land deal involving PPSB, in which Ahmad had been a director. Lim alleged that the company had cheated the state of RM500,000 in a deal involving 4.2ha of industrial land in Bukit Minyak.

Looks like somebody has been lying again. Is it me or do they really think we are immigrants and will never truly be treated as citizens? I read somebodies blog that said ,”Yes, they are really immagrants. Pay bus fair still called passenger what?“.  Are you really supprised he didn’t think it was wrong to say that?  So many generations of Chinese and Indians who have known no other country but Malaysia, paid years of taxes, poured out blood, sweat and tears in this nation to build it as it is and some people still call us imigrants? If this racist policy is truly not the UMNO policy then our PM should be a little more MAN and prove it. Or is he affraid that all those who hold this racist beleive will rebel against UMNO? And I am totally ashamed of the other BN component parties, who have traded the birth right of all us Malaysians of other races just to earn dollars in thier pockets. When will you truly represent your people! Malaysia does not belong to just one race of people. It belongs to every citizen. You don’t own the Bus. Jus soli (Latin for “right of the soil” or, somewhat figuratively, “right of the territory”), or birthright citizenship, is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognised to any individual born in the territory of the related state. Look it up.

Najib: Umno apologises
[source]
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has apologised for the statement made by one of the party’s division leaders which resulted in a lot of criticism from the Chinese community.

“We will apologise. Umno apologises,” he told a press conference after launching the Chery Eastar multi-purpose vehicle at a hotel here yesterday.

“It (The comment) was totally unwarranted and doesn’t reflect the position and attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much,” he said.
Looking East: Najib taking a closer look at the Chery Eastar MPV after it was officially launched at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail had called the Chinese pendatang (immigrants) at a ceramah prior to the Permatang Pauh by-election.

His statement caused a furore and condemnation from various political parties both within the Barisan Nasional and outside.

Several police reports were also lodged against Ahmad.

Najib said the statement was wholly Ahmad’s.

He stressed that Umno and the Government did not subscribe to such a stand.

“We have never considered the Chinese, Indians and other races in Malaysia as lodgers (penumpang). They (the non-Malays) are citizens with full rights and we will continue to protect their rights and dignity.

“We hope the non-Malays will not be too disturbed by the statement,” he said.

Asked if Umno would take action against Ahmad, Najib said the matter would be discussed at the Umno supreme council meeting.

Attempts to contact Ahmad over the past few days have been unsuccessful.

On car manufacturer Chery Automobile, Najib said it had teamed up with local partner Chery Alado Holdings Sdn Bhd to set up a completely knocked down vehicle assembly plant in Pekan, Pahang.

“If everything goes to plan, the plant will assemble 100,000 Chery cars in the next three years,” he said.

The plant is targeted to start operations by the end of next year.

Najib said Chery would also market its hybrid model here by next year.

I am not convinced of the sincerity here. Firstly, I want the person who uttered those words to apologize. How do I know he is truly sorry if I don’t hear it from his mouth? When somebody wrongs you, do you want his boss to apologize? No, you want him to do so. Secondly, He should be charged for sedition, regardless the apology. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. We are not talking about a everyday Mat here, we are talking about an official who speaks on behalf of the Party. He is not some small fry! He must step down and he must face the legal consequences! And thirdly, I want it to be publized in ALL newspapers including the Malay Dailies. It must be made known to all MALAYSIANS of all LANGUAGES and RACES that we are ALL Citizens. A half hearted apology is no apology at all.

While driving to Megamall with my coworkers, we spotted this Bus with the following ad at the back. Quite creative eh? Too bad the grammar is utterly terrible. What is “Happiness Journey”. The standard of English in this nation has gone to the dogs, and now there is talk of reverting Maths and Science back to Malay? Our education system is already a joke as it is. Oh well.

Well, Happy 51st birthday Malaysia. My birthday wish for you is that this nation grows to Maturity soon. That it loves all its people treating everybody as equals regardless of race, gender or religion. That we progress into the future leaving our 3rd world country mentality behind.

Merdeka! Merdeka!! Merdeka!!!

Sigh. I just spent close to 1 1/2 hours on the road trying to get to work. The traffic was horrendous! At one particular toll both, my car stood stationary for almost 20 minutes and I was at the SmartTag lane, which was suppose to be the “Fast Lane”. What caused all the jams? Well, a few reasons. One would be the number of cars on the road at rush hour. With public transport being the horror it is, and not enough alternative ways to get out of main suburbs such as Cheras, people are left with no alternatives but to drive. If only our government had the foresight to build better subways instead of spending money on stupid mega projects and white elephants like sending tourist to space.

Other issues like the way our highways are built are another source of problem. 10 lanes merge into 2 lanes, all sorts of funny exists and entrances from major highways and all highways going back into the Federal highway. All these things caused massive jams. With no foresight given to those who planned the city, it seems like KLites are doomed to suffer traffic jams.

Do you forsee a day where KL would be an Olympic City? I doubt we would ever have that honour as we cant even handle day to day traffic much less the influx of tourist. Why can’t there be more traffic police making sure cars stay to the correct lanes and not cheat and jump queues on the road? Why can’t we demolish older buildings and widen all major roads. Why can’t the Putra line go into more suburbs?

Sigh. KL seems doomed. Don’t even get me started on the traffic when it rains.