A Perak DAP leader has slammed Gerakan President Mah Siew Keong for inability to stand up to Umno in the face of the row over the 'pendatang' (immigrant) remark made at its AGM last week.

Perak DAP economic development bureau chief Chong Zhemin, using  Mah's own quip  about 1Malaysia needing the local aphrodisiac tongkat ali , said it was Mah himself that needed it to stand up to his BN partner.

He said that this is as Mah has been “extremely silent” on the issue and even failed to show at Gerakan’s press conference to suspend member Tan Lai Soon (below) for saying Malays are also pendatang.

Chong also criticised Mah for keeping mum when former Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin retorted that while it is true Malays are also pendatang, they came first and have established themselves as rulers.  

"(BN chief) Najib Razak doesn't need any tongkat ali from Mah as his silent endorsement on the racially insensitive remarks is proof that he has long abandoned the 1 Malaysia concept.

"In fact, it is Mah who is in need of  tongkat ali  to salvage whatever reputation that is left for Gerakan, if any," he quipped.

Double standard?

Chong said that Malaysians deserve an explanation as to why there is a double standard employed against Gerakan and Umno members like Zainuddin.

 

"Why is there still no action taken against Zainuddin though he had made remarks similar if not worse to those by Tan Lai Soon?

"One cannot stop to ponder if UMNO members enjoy some sort of "special privileges" which is not owned by Gerakan members," he added.

Chong (left) , however, did not note Gerakan’s call to all BN parties to follow its lead in taking action against all members who make “racist” or “extremist” remarks during party annual general assemblies.

Although Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teck Meng was speaking in general terms, the only major BN party which has yet to hold its AGM this year is Umno.

In response, Umno leaders have told Gerakan to mind its own business and let Umno handle its own members.

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