BUKIT GELUGOR Two journalists from the Tamil newspapers have lodged police reports against Bukit Gelugor candidate Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan for allegedly uttering the word “pariah” (a degoratory term).

One of the journalists from Makal Osai, Maniam Veerasamy, said he was at Dewan Sri Pinang yesterday during the nomination process of the candidates for the Bukit Gelugor by-election when he heard Abu Backer Sidek utter the offensive word.

He said he was with another reporter from Thina Kural, Allappah Doraisamy, to cover the event and to snap photographs of the candidates when the incident happen.

Allappah had also lodged a separate police report against Abu Backer Sidek, who runs a law firm in Kelana Jaya.

Maniam said many journalists were around Abu Backer Sidek when he was commenting about street demonstrations organised by Bersih icon S Ambiga.

“He mentioned that Indians were pariahs, Malays bangsat, and the Chinese, I do not know what to say but there was a word used,” said Maniam in his police report lodged today in Lembah Pantai, Penang.

“There were many reporters around at that time and he was asked to withdraw his statement but he did not do that, nor did he apologise,” Manian added.

“What was said by Abu Backer is very sensitive and can create chaos,” he stressed.

“For this reason, I am not satisfied with his statement and have lodged a police report so that the police can investigate the matter,” Maniam said.

Maniam was referring to a commotion which happened at the porch of the nomination centre at Dewan Sri Pinang between some DAP members, the two reporters and Abu Backer Sidek.

The group strongly demanded that Abu Backer Sidek retract the alleged word he uttered but he had declined to do so, saying there was no need.

I was merely expressing disagreement, says Abu Backer

Responding to the matter today, Abu Backer Sidek ( left ) said he was merely expressing his disagreement with Bersih’s modus operandi, and saying that he had a little problem with Ambiga during the Kuala Lumpur Bar Council Emergency General Meeting on May 11, 2012.

The historic Bar Council EGM was called following the massive gathering dubbed ‘Bersih 3.0' on April 28, 2012, at Dataran Merdeka.

“Then he used the word and said I said it. At that time it was true but he said that I said that the Indian community was ‘that word’, I never say it like that. That is very false and misleading,” Abu Backer Sidek said.

“They knew I had problems with Ambiga during the Bar EGM at that time, I disagreed with her mode of operating, I did not say I didn’t agree to what she was fighting for, it’s two different things,” he added.

Abu Backer Sidek said he was only concerned if lawyers go the streets, not other parties, as “the courts would be empty”.

“If lawyers do not observe or respect the law who will?” he queried at a press conference in Hotel Traders today.

Abu Backer Sidek said he would be lodging a counter-report on the journalists as he did not utter the word the way they said he did.

He added that he was already called by the Jelutong police station to give his statement at 4pm today.

“He used the word and wanted to capitalise on it, so why should I apologise for it?” he asked.

Abu Backer Sidek said he was trying to explain to the two reporters that if they were sensitive about the word, it did not come from him but from history books.

He added that he was trying to explain that street demonstrations who go shout and can cause chaos in the country behaved in an uneducated manner.

“But he changed it to say that I mentioned the word, so I will counter-lodge a police report to say that he was the one who said it,” Abu Backer Sidek said.