Learn BM, insult aimed DAP Youth, not the disabled - Akmal

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has hit back at DAP Youth leaders who accused him of insulting the disabled community.

According to the Merlimau assemblyperson, his earlier Facebook post saying DAP Youth leaders should be given a disabled status card was aimed at the wing and not the community.

“This is why it’s important for Malaysians to understand Bahasa Melayu, which is our national language.

“For DAP Youth information, I said I wanted to give a mirror and a disabled status card to DAP Youth, not the disabled community.

“This (misunderstanding) happened because you could not understand but pretended to, so you ended up 'melalut' (going off topic).

“If you want to be a leader in Malaysia, please learn Bahasa Melayu to improve your proficiency,” Akmal said in a Facebook post this afternoon.

Earlier, three DAP Youth leaders issued separate statements whacking Akmal, whom they claimed had insulted and undermined the disabled community.

Its executive secretary Stella Leong condemned the Umno leader for “callously equating criticism or dissent with disability” and demanded he step down as a youth leader.

“Such language is offensive, demeaning, and utterly unacceptable in a modern pluralistic society.

“His comments show not only a shocking lack of empathy but also a disturbing undermining of the dignity and rights of the disabled community,” she said.

Lack of empathy

DAP Youth national executive council member M Kusaaliny said Akmal’s statement displayed a shocking lack of empathy for the community.

“This behaviour is utterly inexcusable and demonstrates a complete unsuitability for public office.

“Akmal’s remarks are not a simple misstep; they are a profound moral and ethical failure.

“To use a vulnerable group’s identity, a community with no control over their disabilities, as a political weapon is a cruel and indefensible act,” she said.

Adding further, Kusaaliny said this proved that Akmal has no place in the future of national politics.

DAP Youth Federal Territories chief Yap Yee Vonne urged Akmal to apologise to the disabled community.

She also panned at the fact that Akmal is a medical doctor, saying that he should have understood that disability is a medical condition and not a choice.

“Is Akmal suggesting that persons with disabilities are less worthy? Less deserving? Less capable?

“If Akmal has nothing respectful or constructive to say, then say nothing.

“As a leader, your words carry weight. Why choose to define and degrade an entire community in this way?” Yap said.

Latest DAP-Akmal row

The clash between Akmal and DAP Youth leaders began when the former slammed DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke over a recent flag gaffe.

The incident saw the Jalur Gemilang flown upside down at a Chinese vernacular school in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, which was allegedly due to an error by a disabled employee.

Loke had said that there was no need for anyone to politicise the incident, and urged the public to allow the Education Ministry to investigate the matter.

Following this, Akmal responded by saying that concerns raised over the latest Jalur Gemilang incident are a matter of “patriotism, not politics”.

The argument snowballed when DAP Youth chief Woo Kah Leong joined in, slamming the “village champion” (jaguh kampung) mentality and criticised the hypocrisy of politicians who remained silent or failed to show similar outrage over past incidents involving inaccurate depictions of the flag.

This led Akmal to hit back at his critics, mocking the DAP Youth wing as deserving disability status too.

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