YOURSAY ‘I’m sure Perkasa would be equally tolerant if made by others.’
Perkasa: 'Lazy' remarks just fatherly advice
Malaccan: I disagree with former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad on how he characterises the Malays.
I don't hold to the idea that a particular race will have certain attributes. However, culture may have that effect, and culture changes over time. Culture and race are two very different things although they may be related.
One thing I agree with Dr M is his depiction of some Malays as having those traits he mentioned. Chief among them are those in Umno, but particularly those in Perkasa, Isma, Pekida and some other NGOs who ironically surround and support Dr M.
Perhaps that is where he gets the notion that Malays are lazy and untrustworthy. I hurry to add, many from the other races too have similar traits and again they appear to have the distinction of being associated with BN and its satellite organisations.
I think Dr M is not doing Malays or any Malaysians a favour by vilifying us racially. Those who do not share these beliefs are offended, while those who do will thank Dr M as a father.
Albert Wong: Quote: "In fact, we thank him for his willingness to share his knowledge," said Perkasa.
Is it agreeing to Dr's remarks that Malays are lazy and not trustworthy?
Old Timer: What a strange statement from Selangor Perkasa. Instead of feeling insulted by the ex-PM, and making police reports against Mahathir, Perkasa is defending him.
When DAP assemblyperson RSN Rayner called Umno "celaka", Perkasa made a police report, and Rayner was charged with sedition.
The ex-PM insulted the whole race, and Perkasa is siding him. Indeed, strange things can really happen in Malaysia.
Swipenter: Mahathir's "lazy Malays" remark is "fatherly advice" just because he is who he is. If that same remark comes from the mouth of a ‘pendatang’, it would be deemed nothing else but a gravest insult to the Malay race.
Perkasa would be braying for his/her blood; Umno Youth would be demonstrating in front of his/her house and making threats of violence and so would Isma; PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) would be there in an instant to arrest him/her for sedition for his/her safety.
Vijay47: While I am hardly "alarmed" when Malays are criticised or described as lazy or untrustworthy, it is comforting to learn that Perkasa is not particularly offended by Mahathir's comments, with such statements being described as "just fatherly advice".
I am sure that Perkasa would be equally tolerant of similar labels if made by others. Of course made out of brotherly love.
SSDhaliwal: That's what I said earlier - these vocal NGOs, when it suits them, scathing remarks against their race and religion can be justified as brotherly, sisterly, fatherly, friendly advice.
But when it's from the opposition, it’s sedition.
P Dev Anand Pillai: Well, if it comes from the grand old man of Malaysian politics then it is 'fatherly advice' but if came from someone else, perhaps a not so well-known Malay then the whole situation would have been different. They would have called for his head.
So this is the classic example on how the laws of Malaysia are selectively used. Here we must understand that we practise class differences - it depends on which class of your community that you fall in to have different set of rights.
MingXiang: Did this Mahathir’s remark startle me? No, of course not. He literally said the same thing maybe 15 years ago.
If I were Malay, I would take him to task and give him a dressing down. Just because he is a constitutional Malay and is 89 years old does not give him the liberty to openly insult the Malays.
RKR: It is not that other races do not understand what Mahathir meant, but they are actually not bothered what their leaders think of them.
If the Malays do well, good for them, but if they don't, it's a problem. But they should not blame others for their failures.
Whatsup: Rayer, too, gave a brotherly advice to Umno, so what's wrong with that?
So did Universiti Malaya associate professor Azmi Sharom, who gave a brotherly legal advice. There were sisterly and even motherly advice. So what's so seditious about them compared with Mahathir's fatherly advice?
Umno and its ilk should accept everyone's advice with open heart instead of charging them.
Ipohcrite: Well, now it is laid bare for all to see that Perkasa is nothing but a racist bully targeting the opposition and the minorities, but dare not stand up to someone like Mahathir who can call them all sorts of names.
No dignity at all. Sigh.
Rupert16: By accepting Mahathir's comment as a fatherly advice, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali has tacitly agreed with the former PM's low opinion of the Malay race when all the while he has been promoting ‘ketuanan Melayu’. Now I am really confused.
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