Anwar apologises if 'keling' term caused misunderstanding

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has apologised for any misunderstanding that arose from his use of the word "keling" during a programme at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi) on Thursday.

Speaking at a dialogue session with editors-in-chief and senior editors of the print and online media in Putrajaya today, Anwar stressed his use of the word was only intended as a citation from the book “Hikayat Hang Tuah”, and not meant to insult any party.

"If there is any misunderstanding, I apologise, it's not my intention at all (to insult).

"I'm the last person to cast aspersions, insulting any ethnicity or religion," he said Anwar.

The prime minister was responding to a request for comments based on a video excerpt of his original speech during the Temu Anwar Dialog Mahasiswa programme at this varsity in Tanjung Malim, Perak.

During that dialogue session, the prime minister was telling his audience about Hang Tuah, whom Anwar described as a great leader during the Malacca sultanate era - who was highly knowledgeable and multilingual.

The Malay warrior, Anwar said, could converse well not only in the Malay language but also in "Bahasa Jawa, Bahasa Siam and what was then described as 'Bahasa Keling' or Tamil”.

Viral video

A clip cut out from the prime minister's speech on this has since been shared on social media, with some netizens criticising Anwar for using the term considered derogatory by Indian Malaysians.

"What I was saying is that... if people read the book, Hang Tuah had a good command of Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Arab, Bahasa Siam and Bahasa Keling.

"I was using the term from Bahasa Kalinga that was used in the book. Now, the term 'keling' is disfavoured (tidak disenangi ) by many, so I’m not using it.

"I was just quoting the context from the book," he explained.

Anwar was not the first prime minister who landed in hot water for using the term “keling” in public.

Previously, Dr Mahathir Mohamad was also slammed after he used the word when criticising the Election Commission in 2018.

In criticising the commission, Mahathir said: "I want to use a 'keling' word. The 'keling' say podah (get lost)."

Mahathir also made a similar remark in 2016.

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