SARAWAK ASSEMBLY The DAP assemblyperson for Padungan, Wong King Wei, slammed Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman for tagging the Chinese Malaysians as intruders, saying the Chinese are 'Anak Malaysia' as they have been in the country long before its present form.

"Members of the Chinese community are neither intruders nor squatters as they had settled in Malaysia long before the formation of Malaysia.

"We deserve to be known as Anak Malaysia," Wong said during the debate on the governor's address yesterday.

"Chinese are not intruders, not squatters. We are Anak Malaysia. We love this country as our motherland and we are willing to sacrifice for our beloved country, Malaysia, in fighting for the betterment of this country.

"I would like to record my utmost disappointment with the statement made by the Isma president. After 50 years of the formation of Malaysia, racist statements of this kind still in exist," Wong said and asked the state government to take a clear stand on the issue.

Sarawakians would not tolerate any racist sentiments, he added.

Curtin University Miri criticised

Meanwhile, DAP Piasau assemblyperson Alan Ling Sie Kiong criticised Miri's only university for trying to play 'politics' by being partisan against members of the opposition.

"I urge that the university to remain non-partisan, befitting that of a reputable international higher educational institution.

"As assemblyman for Piasau constituency in Miri, I wish to engage in formal dialogues with Curtin University Sarawak's vice-chancellor and their official representatives, which will be very useful and meaningful in conveying the wishes of the Miri electorate.

"However, I regret to inform this House that Curtin University Sarawak has failed to live up to that high standards of being professional and non-partisan by avoiding formal dialogues with the elected representatives of Miri," Ling said, when debating the governor's address.

He was sad to note that the university did not have the courtesy to invite all of Miri's elected representatives to any of its official functions or events.

"All it did was to suggest 'hush-hush' informal dialogues behind closed doors with elected representatives not belonging to the ruling party, which is very disrespectful and an affront to the principles of democracy supposed to be upheld in both Malaysia and Australia.

"An esteemed international institution such as Curtin should not be taking sides, but should uphold democracy and justice in line with international norms of a reputable institution.

The institute in Miri, which opened in 1999, is an off-shore campus of Curtin University based in Perth, Western Australia.

Related stories

Dr M says Najib lacks teeth to bite

'Pendatang can't intrude, but must pay taxes'

Isma agrees to hudud for non-Muslims

Ambiga: A 'Nazi-like' agenda at work

'Sack UiTM vice-chancellor for anti-Christian seminar'

'Isma stoking race to drown out GST protests'

Not intruders, but Anak Malaysia, says DAP rep

Dr M claims Boeing aircraft 'dangerous' to fly

Under Najib, the country is on MH370 mode

UiTM breeds zealots with anti-Christian seminar

Mahathir’s salvoes aim to keep Malays insecure

Mahathir, ask your billionaire sons to share wealth, too