The UMNO Member of Parliament for Baling, Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahman made Baling infamous in Parliament when he betrayed the trust of the voters of Baling by making offensive remarks against other races and other MPs, like his derogatory “balik tongsan” remark in Parliament early this month.
Only those who have a narrow, extremist and intolerant mindset, completely at odds with the inclusive 1Malaysia policy, could regard the Chinese or any other ethnic group as inherently “disloyal” to Malaysia, and be so irresponsible as to flippantly hurl the derogatory term “balik tongsan” against the Malaysian Chinese, which was as good as telling them to “return to mainland China”.
Abdul Azeez made the remark in Parliament against DAP MP for Kota Kinabalu, Jimmy Wong, during the committee stage of the 2016 Budget debate on the Home Ministry, causing outrage among right-thinking Members of Parliament and Malaysians.
Although Abdul Azeez, as a result of the protest by the DAP parliamentary whip, Anthony Loke (Seremban), was forced to retract the offensive and derogatory term “balik tongsan” in Parliament, he was never remorseful for his most unMalaysian conduct for he never apologised for it.
Abdul Azeez should return to Baling to publicly apologise for his “balik tongsan” and other offensive remarks in Parliament or he should be voted out in 14GE as betraying the trust of the Baling electorate.
All genuine Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, must be offended by Abdul Azeez’s “balik tongsan” remark, for it shows the utter failure of Malaysian nation-building when an UMNO Member of Parliament could make such offensive and derogatory remark against other races in the country.
Members of Parliament, whether from UMNO or from Pakatan Harapan, should be setting an example of how a genuine and patriotic Malaysian should talk, think and act, rising above race and other prejudices of the past, to build a united, peaceful, harmonious, progressive and successful plural Malaysia and not setting the worst example of an “Ugly Malaysian” because of chauvinist, intolerant or extremist mindsets, whatever the racial, religious or political background.
I have devoted 50 years of my life to Malaysian politics, not to “cari makan” for myself, but because I believe it is a noble cause to help achieve the united, plural and successful Malaysian nation we promised this country would become when the Merdeka Proclamation was read out by the nation’s founding Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman on 31st August 1957.
I have devoted 50 years of my life in Malaysian politics not to build a “tongsan” in mainland China, which could not pull any heart-strings of devotion and patriotism, not only for me but also for all Malaysians of Chinese descent.
Abdul Azeez and all like him in UMNO should learn quick and fast that for me, and for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, our “tongsan” is Malaysia and no other country.
Our motherland is Malaysia and not mainland China, the Indian sub-continent or any other foreign land.
If after 58 years of Malaysian nation-building, Abdul Azeez is still unable to understand or grasp this simple fact, then he is not fit to be a Member of Parliament and should be rejected by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics in the 14GE.
[Speech (2) at the formation of the Baling DAP Branch at Restoran Haji Wahab, Pekan Kupang, Baling on Thursday, 26th November 2015 at 4 pm]