Lim said Ismail must apologise for his remarks
The Cabinet has its last chance to take a minister to task over his racist remarks calling for Malays to boycott ‘stubborn’ Chinese traders in its upcoming meeting, a DAP leader has said.
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang in a statement today said the Cabinet’s Feb 11 meeting is its last chance to ask Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ismail Sabri to apologise for his racially-skewed remarks on rising prices.
“It is the last opportunity for the 35-Minister Cabinet to redeem itself and salvage whatever is left of its credibility by righting a terrible wrong it committed at its last Cabinet meeting in sanctioning, condoning and defending the racist call to Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses,” Lim said.
Lim was responding to Ismail’s remarks last week, which called for Malays to boycott Chinese traders who raise prices unnecessarily. Ismail has said in a Facebook post (which has since been deleted): “As long as Malays don’t change, the Chinese will take advantage to oppress the Malays.” He also called on ‘majority Malays’ to boycott the ‘minority Chinese traders’ to force prices down.
His remark hit a raw nerve for targeting Chinese traders specifically, as well as for being racially insensitive. However, instead of apologising, Ismail has refused to acknowledge that his remark had offended many. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had also come to Ismail’s defence, saying that the latter only meant to “protect consumers.”
However Lim said Ismail’s remarks were “wrong, dishonest, unethical and immoral”, and the Cabinet’s apologist stance towards Ismail is equally as wrong.
“All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or station, are taught to admit where they have done a wrong and to seek forgiveness for the mistake they have made. Why should Ismail Sabri be an exception?” he said.
Lim also challenged any minister to move a motion in Cabinet to demand an apology from Ismail.
“The question now is which Minister is prepared to bell the cat and move a motion in Cabinet on Wednesday to demand that Ismail Sabri should apologise for his racist call on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses or be sacked from the Cabinet. Will such a Minister and those Ministers who will support such a motion speak up?” he added.
