Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s friends may not have scolded him but a political ally from the DAP has cautioned him to refrain from using terms like “keling”, which may be deemed derogatory and insulting by the Indian community.
Mahathir may not have the intention to insult the Indians but his use of such words can be manipulated by certain quarters for their own political mileage.
Since he joined our struggle to Save Malaysia, Mahathir has been doing quite well, and gaining the Malay support for our cause, However, it is advisable for him not to use such words which may be insulting, not only to the Indian community but to others as well.
I, myself, may not find the word “keling” derogatory, but it has been used often to insult the Indian community.
Harapan can do without such controversy especially when the coalition is on the cusp of GE14, which may be called by May, with Parliament having been dissolved last Saturday, April 7.
I am referring to Mahathir’s remark against the Election Commission, which he uttered at a fund-raising event in Johor last Saturday.
“I want to use a ‘keling’ word. The ‘keling’ say podah (get lost)”, Mahathir was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.
The word “keling” is believed to be derived from the ancient Indian kingdom of Kalinga.
The Hokkien community in the country’s northern region also refer to those from the Indian community as “kelinga” and are quite familiar with the word “podah“, which is sometimes used in jest to dismiss an act or idea which is unacceptable or bizarre.
But the word has offended several quarters, with Makkal Sakti lodging four police reports against Mahathir.
It was unfortunate that Mahathir had uttered the word deemed offensive by some, saying the nonagenarian has tried to endear himself to the Indians by highlighting their plight for the last 60 years under BN.
I also took a dig at MIC treasurer-general S Vell Paari’s false claim that I had most likely approved Mahathir’s use of the word.
Vell Paari should pose the same question to his father, former MIC president S Samy Vellu, who had worked under Mahathir when he was the country’s prime minister for 22 years.
What has Samy Vellu done during the 22 years when Mahathir was the PM?
This is not the first time that I have chided Mahathir for using the “keling” word.
In 2016, I had flayed Mahathir as “old but devoid of wisdom” for uttering such racist remarks.