GEORGE TOWN, Nov 27 — Jeff Ooi drew further fire today from four state council workers’ unions banding together in a concerted verbal attack over the Jelutong MP’s “kucing kurap” (mangy cat) reference of Penang junior council workers.
In a growing war of words, the workers castigated the second-term federal lawmaker, labelling him an “anjing kurap” (mangy dog) and demanded Ooi apologise in the next 10 days.
“We have decided that all Penang Island Municipal Council workers will not attend any of his site visits until this matter is resolved,” Saleem Sulaiman, chairman of the Amalgamated National Union of Local Authority Employees (Anulae) told a news conference here that was also attended by 100 Penang council workers.
The council workers have been boycotting Ooi's site visits.
“Kucing kurap” is a Malay phrase, used in a derogatory manner to describe a person who is insignificant or incompetent.
Saleem lashed out at Ooi, describing the MP as an “anjing kurap, yang menyalak bukit”, another Malay expression which means “mangy dog barking up the wrong tree”.
“He is not the Lion of Jelutong but “anjing kurap” or “pandi kuti” of Jelutong,” Saleem said as council workers around him cheered in support.
“Pandi kuti” is Tamil for “piglet”.
The unions said they will also submit a letter of protest against Ooi to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Contacted for comment today, Ooi told The Malay Mail Online: “I refuse to play to their gallery and I refuse to comment”.
On November 16, Ooi reportedly told eight licensing and enforcement officers to “berambus” (clear off), after calling them “kucing kurap”.
Ooi had been unhappy that no senior officers had turned up for his site visit at the Jelutong market at the time.
One of the officers present at the time, See Seng Bee, 58, said Ooi had demanded to know whether there was a senior officer there.
“When he found out there were no higher ranking officers, he said “saya tak mahu jumpa you semua, kucing kurap, you semua berambus” (I don’t want to see all of you, kucing kurap, you all clear off),” See recounted.
Ooi’s behaviour had earned the ire of several state leaders from both sides of the political divide over the past week.
Penang Umno chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman was joined by his foes from DAP, Chow Kon Yeow, and PKR’s Nibong Tebal MP Datuk Mansor Othman in chiding Ooi for making the “kucing kurap” reference, and demanded the later apologise.
