BN candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election P Kamalanathan's gesture of kissing the hand of Umno leaders shows that he knows Malay culture and custom.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the opposition's manipulation of the matter by equating the gesture to MIC bowing to Umno showed that it had run out of political capital.

"No more ideas, no more capital, so something good is made to look bad. That's why I label the opposition 'raja putar alam' (king spinners of the universe," he told reporters after officially opening the Kuala Kubu Baharu Fire and Rescue station, here, today.

"If you want to compare Kamalanathan with PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim, the MIC information chief is much more refined in his manners.

"I didn't ask him (Kamalanathan) to kiss my hand, but maybe he did that because he understands Malay culture and custom. To me, this candidate is humble and respectful of the leaders and elders.

 

"Whether he kisses the hand of others when he meets them, is not an issue. Kissing the hand may not be part of other cultures, but it is part of Malay culture especially when you meet your elders."

‘An act of humility’

Muhyiddin said he did not at all see Kamalanathan's gesture (kissing of the former's hand) as kowtowing or bowing to Umno "as it is an act of humility of a candidate with values that should be admired".

NONE "Perhaps the opposition does not know about being cultured, about having refined manners and using refined language, so they think it's something unusual.

"Well, this is not unusual in Malaysia, for I had seen members of the Chinese community at the prime minister's Hari Raya do at Seri Perdana offering the 'salam', kissing his hand or even wanting to hug him. So, why make an issue?"

Muhyiddin said the opposition now found it difficult to refute or dismiss allegations against Zaid concerning his morals which were widely carried by the media and blogs.

- Bernama

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