Badruddin has refused to retract his remark in Parliament that my being in a wheelchair is a punishment from God

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Press Statement
by Karpal Singh
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(Kuala Lumpur, Friday): I am surprised that Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) has refused to retract his remark in Parliament that my being in a wheelchair is a punishment from God.

Badruddin’s defense is that I had said worse things about backbenchers. I challenge Badruddin to make public the worse things that I have said about backbenchers. True, I have used words like animal dan bodoh but they were warranted under the circumstances. In any event, these are far in impact from Badruddin’s remark in Parliament on Monday.

Badruddin is on record in the Hansard to have used the word puki mak against the Opposition. What could be worse than using the word puki mak in the August chamber of Parliament? Badruddin is also on record to have uttered in Parliament that Malaysia is an Islamic state, and if the non-Malays were not happy, they could get out of the country.

Badruddin’s remark, apart from being an affront and an insult to wheelchair users, also means that God’s punishment has been meted out against them because they are sinners. Bung Mokhtar (BN-Kinabatangan) is also on record for having used the word bocor against Fong Poh Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah). He is also on record to have said I was lucky I was on a wheelchair and did not die. PPP President, Kayveas, (BN-Taiping) is also on record to have said that I was in a wheelchair and he did not know what would happen to me next. Clearly, Members of Parliament of the Barisan Nasional are on record to have made insulting, insensitive and obscene remarks in Parliament.

Badruddin’s defense is unacceptable. The DAP gives him until Monday to retract the remark as his remark does not only imply that those on wheelchairs are sinners but so are those in the country who are disabled and sick. His remark has far-reaching implications. Badruddin should be prepared for the DAP to go public on this issue if he does not retract the remarks and apologize.

In the meanwhile, I remind Badruddin the disabled and sick will soon, in view of the advancement in stem-cell research, recover. The condition of the disabled and sick, therefore, is temporary. The disabled and sick should take heart and believe firmly in God.

It is a matter of great regret that the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, did not order Badruddin to withdraw and apologize for the remark when I brought up the matter yesterday. It was his duty to have done so.

(26/10/2007)