Gerakan has today suspended the membership of Tan Lai Soon, the delegate who claimed Malays are also "pendatang" (immigrants).

The party also issued a show-cause letter to Lai Soon, urging him to explain his position within 14 days. If he fails to do so, he may be expelled from the party.

"We apologise on behalf of the party to all Malaysians who have been hurt by his remark.

"We would like to stress that this is not the stand of the party...we do not condone any remarks that is unMalaysian.

"He should go back and ask how his Malay neighbours would feel," Gerakan deputy president Cheah Soon Hai (below) said in a press conference at the party headquarters.

He said that the statement is not reflective of Gerakan, which follows the ‘1Malaysia’ concept.

While debating the Gerakan president’s policy speech yesterday, Lai Soon said: "Let me make the positions of Malaysians clear: Malays, Chinese and Indians were all 'pendatang' , except the Orang Asli, Sabahans and Sarawakians, who are the original bumiputera."

Pertubuhan Pembela Islam (Pembela), a coalition of 52 Malay-Muslim groups, said Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong should sack Lai Soon.

Together with Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) and Pejuang Islam Melayu Malaysia (Pewaris), they went to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this morning, demanding that Tan be hauled up under the Sedition Act.

Meanwhile online news portal The Rakyat Post reported Lai Soon, a Gerakan member of four years, apologised for his remarks last night.

"I am profoundly sorry and had meant to say that no Malaysian should be called 'pendatang', as we are all Malaysians,” Lai Soon was reported as telling the online news site.

When asked, Gerakan vice president Dominic Lau said that Gerakan will not intervene in police investigations on the matter, but hoped that police will note that Tan had apologised.

Parasites will know who they are

According to Cheah, at least 14 Gerakan members have lodged complaints with the party over the matter.

Vice president Asharuddin Ahmad also rebutted Tan's comment during the wrap-up session, he said, but it was not highlighted by the media.

He added that it was also wrong to label people 'pendatang' even when arguing which of the ‘pendatang’ arrived in Malaysia first, as argued by former information minister Zainuddin Maidin (above) .

"Every Malaysian is Malaysian, there are no pendatang.

"Because all who are born here are considered Malaysian, be it Malay, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan, Iban."

Zainuddin had said that it is true that Malays are pendatang, but they came first and became kings due to their wisdom.

On a separate matter, Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang refused to admit that he was referring to Malay rights' group Perkasa in his policy speech on Saturday.

However, when asked on a call made by Selangor Perkasa, he said: "I do not choose to respond to parasites. Whoever feels that they are parasites, that is their choice."

Selangor Perkasa chief Yahya Abu Bakar today asked if Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang was referring to the Malay supremacist group when he made the remark.

On Saturday, Tan urged BN to get rid of "parasite" NGOs that are making voters hate the ruling coalition.

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