Media statement by M.Kula Segaran in Ipoh on Saturday, 13^th November 2010:

It is puzzling and disappointing that the Cabinet did not even at the very least direct Zahid to retract his remarks and tender an open apology to the Chinese and Indians

When answering a parliamentary question in Parliament on Tuesday, Defence Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that lack of patriotism was a reason for the low number of non-Malay recruits in the armed forces.

In his media statement released on November 10, he clarified that he had never made statements about the non Malays being unpatriotic nor had he intended to do so.

"What I had said was that it was possible that it could be due to several factors, including the sense of patriotism that is not strong enough," he said.

I immediately responded and said that his clarification was only adding salt to the wound as it was clear that he had failed to comprehend the injustice of associating patriotism with the reluctance of non Malays to join the army.

My stand is very clear -- No matter how one defines or looks at patriotism, whether in the narrow or broad sense and context, it is totally unfair and irresponsible to link it with the non Malays' reluctance to join the army.

Zahid should have been bold enough to admit that he has erred in making such an insensitive, baseless, unfair and irresponsible remark, instead of making the futile attempt of defending with semantics.

In today's news papers, it was reported that the Cabinet discussed the controversy arising from Zahid's remarks.

In the report, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Koh Tzu Koon said that the Prime Minister agreed with the view that the loyalty of Chinese and Indians cannot be questioned.

Two questions which immediately arise are:-

1. Why did not the Cabinet issue an official statement stating its official stand on the insensitive, unfair, baseless remarks made by Datuk Ahamd Zahid?

2. Why did not the Cabinet at the very least direct Zahid to retract his remarks and tender an open apology to the Chinese and Indians? Zahid is no ordinary person but a Cabinet Minister in charge of the defence ministry. And he gave the reply in the august Parliament House.

If a defence minister of a western democratic nation has uttered such unfair remarks publicly or in the parliament, I have no doubt that he will have to pay the price of losing his minister's position.

Zahid's insensitive, baseless, unfair and irresponsible remarks have hurt the feelings of the Chinese and Indians.

I am sure Malays, other Bumiputras and ordinary like minded Malaysians abhors the Ministers statement.

It is therefore puzzling and disappointing that the Cabinet did not even at the very least direct Zahid to retract his reply and tender an open apology to the Chinese and Indians.

As I have filed a RM 10 salary cut motion against the Defence Minister, I shall pursue this matter in the Parliament when the motion comes up for debate.

* M. Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman & MP for Ipoh Barat