Penang Gerakan leader Baljit Singh has expressed surprise that his own comrade in Umno has described Gerakan as "Chinese" when criticising a local DAP man for dismantling the party's logo.

Baljit said, tongue-in-cheek, "I'm sorry to disappoint (Umno state secretary) Musa (Sheikh Fadzir), but if he really looks hard enough, he will see that I am not a Chinese."

Baljit urged all parties across the political divide to refrain from resorting to racial slants  when responding to issues such as the dismantling of the Umno logo by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).

"Deal with the issues at hand, with facts and not emotions," said Baljit, who is Gerakan's national legal and human rights bureau chief.

"Take legal action if MBPP had erred in dismantling the Umno logo. I am prepared to assist in giving my legal opinion," added Baljit, who is a lawyer by profession.

Musa ( photo ) had described Gerakan as "Chinese" in dismissing Penang Island City Council (MBPP) member Ong Ah Teong’s statement that Gerakan, unlike its brother Umno, complied with the proper council procedures before renovating its headquarters on Jalan MacAlister.

Musa said Ong had praised Gerakan because he is also Chinese, while Ong "ruled with an iron fist" against Umno.

Ong had described Umno as behaving in a "gangster-like" fashion when its members prevented MBPP workers from seizing the party signage erected in front of Menara Umno.

Ong said MBPP was merely carrying out its duties according to the law on illegal structures, which was passed in Parliament and endorsed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

He also said Umno had insulted the Agong and the holy month of Ramadan when 50 of its members, led by Musa, torched the DAP flag in Komtar to show their displeasure.

Drinking in toilet a joke?

Baljit said racially and religiously slanted remarks continued to be uttered in multiracial Malaysia.

He also drew attention to the latest incident of a teacher in a school in Kedah who "jokingly" told students to drink in the toilet so as to not offend their Muslim classmates who are fasting.

The teacher had reportedly told the students not to drink their urine but Baljit said there was "nothing humorous" about the matter.

Baljit described such teachers as "Little Napoleans" who were out to embarrass the civil service and tarnish the teaching profession, which is a noble job in nation-building.

"Such racially and religiously charged remarks should never be uttered by these Little Napoleans and I urge the Ministry of Education to expel the teacher concerned, so that it will be a lesson to all to take the teaching profession seriously," he added.