YOURSAY ‘What’s about those ‘stubborn’ Malay and Indian traders?’

'I meant stubborn Chinese traders, not all'

Odin: Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, you are not only a shameless liar, but you are also really an imbecile. Your attempt at damage control is as futile as trying to turn rice porridge back to rice grains - the sort of things mentally retarded people would have a go at.

You have clearly attempted to incite the Malays to hate the Chinese. You were reported to have said, "Just look at Old Town White Coffee... They are suspicious... but still Malays are not boycotting (the company). Moreover, the company is owned by the Ngeh family (of) Perak DAP, which are anti-Islam. As long as Malays don't change, the Chinese will take advantage and oppress the Malays."

That is pure, unadulterated incitement. Here you have also clearly referred to the Chinese in general and not just the “stubborn Chinese traders”.

You have also lied through your teeth in saying that Old Town White Coffee was owned by the Ngeh family. The company's chairperson, Ahmed Tasir, and who does seem a Malay to me, has exposed your blatant lie.

I put it to you that as one of the good-for-nothing members of the despicable, accursed political party called Umno Baru, you not only are green with envy of the Chinese, but you also have the bollocks to make the sort of statements you have made only because you know that you won't get even a slap on the wrist as mild admonishment but a gentle caress to urge you on. 

Vijay47: Ismail Sabri, just to follow your line of reasoning. You said you were referring to "only the stubborn Chinese traders who refused to cut prices". So you acknowledge that Chinese traders generally did cut prices.

By extension of this same logic, when you urged the Malays to boycott (only) the Chinese traders, the implication is that all Indian and Malay traders had reduced prices. How did you determine this? 

One would have thought that had you been a politician of even minimal brains, respect, and upbringing, the intelligent and acceptable advice would have been to boycott all traders who refuse to bring down prices.

But in your case, being a miserable good-for-nothing racist Umno piece of trash, what you said is about what can be expected. And there are many more where you come from.

Gerard Lourdesamy: What lame excuse is this? Which Chinese restaurants do Malays frequent since most are not halal?

Why not boycott McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Coffee Bean, Starbucks, etc, next since their halal certification may also be dubious? Does that mean that Jakim has been sleeping on its job or they were bribed by the Chinese traders?

The consumer laws are there to be enforced but is the minister ashamed of the incompetence and corruption of his own enforcement officers?

What about Malay traders, should the Chinese and Indians boycott them as well? The largest consumers may be Malays but the Chinese have the biggest disposable incomes.

It is imbeciles like this that confirm the failure of 1Malaysia and Umno's obsession with race and religion to the detriment of national unity, respect and tolerance.

The PM should ask him to resign as he is not fit to be in the cabinet.

Ferdtan: As said by many, what’s about those ‘stubborn’ Malay and Indian traders? Why only pick on the Chinese when they are also opportunistic non-Chinese traders?

Ismail Sabri, whatever your excuses and explanations, the statement you made is still racist. Or were you not thinking when you made such a damaging accusation unaware of its huge implication? That I doubt as it comes from an Umno minister.

So Ismail if you cannot take the heat from all the criticisms, don’t indulge in making contentious comments that you cannot prove. Take advice from this: “Comment is free, but facts are sacred.”

Malaccan: In what way does Ismail Sabri’s clarification make it better? As a federal minister, he has the duty to represent all citizens. Why doesn't he take to task all bad traders?

How do the people whose hatred he incites differentiate the bad Chinese traders from the innocent ones? Why does he protect and omit the bad traders from other races, especially those linked to Umno and BN?

His defence is not at all persuasive. In fact it cements the proof of his racist tendencies, and that of his party and coalition. His statement on Facebook was extensive. It was not a comment made off the cuff.

And this minister has made outrageous statements that were racist and incendiary before. How does his clarification erase his track record of making what should constitute a hate crime?

Why doesn't the minister act against large corporations that have not reduced prices? Better still, please highlight those GLCs (government-linked companies) which have and those which haven't done so that we can boycott them too.

Kangkung: You can explain whatever way you like but you're a damn racist whichever way you try to explain yourself.

Why do you need to specifically target one race group of traders when there are unscrupulous traders from all races?

Lucky for you, being an Umnoputra, whatever you say is not seditious as party members, and especially ministers, are above all laws.

FB postings don’t lie, but ministers do

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