KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today condemned Umno deputy minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman for calling Malaysians who chose to live overseas “unpatriotic”, saying it is the corrupt individuals living in the country who lack nationalistic pride.
Lim added that it was unbecoming of a deputy minister to issue such remarks and said to prove Putrajaya’s sincerity in its efforts to lure local talents back to the country, Tajuddin should apologise for the slight.
“It is corruption and those who defend corruption, not those living overseas, that is unpatriotic,” the Penang lawmaker said in a statement.
“BN’s (Barisan Nasional) mindset of blaming those who left the country because of better employment and pay opportunities overseas will only encourage more talented Malaysians to leave.
“Instead, the BN government should address other root problems that forced many to take the heart-breaking decision to live overseas such as decline in the rule of law, oppression of basic freedoms, discrimination, environmental degradation and no respect for human dignity in Malaysia,” he added.
Lim also questioned the rationale behind Tajuddin’s remarks, noting that it goes against the government’s bid to plug the talent leak here by introducing measures to get Malaysians living abroad to return to home.
He noted that Talent Corp was set up solely for this purpose and Malaysia signed on recently to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement to gain better market access and exposure for Malaysians in global trade as well as to be an active participant in economic integration internationally.
“That would include working and living overseas. If that is unpatriotic, then why should Malaysia sign on to the TPPA?” Lim said.
“If the federal government is serious about encouraging talented Malaysians to return home, Tajudin must withdraw and apologise for his irresponsible and extremist remarks that is completely unbecoming of a deputy minister,” he added.
In the Dewan Rakyat lobby on Thursday, Tajuddin, who is Umno supreme councillor, reportedly told reporters that Malaysians who chose to live abroad are “unpatriotic”.
“These people must change their mindset, be patriotic; don’t live outside the country, (that is) not patriotic at all.
“(They talked about) brain drain, what brain drain? There is no brain drain here,” he was quoted by Malaysiakini as saying.
“Come, there are so many opportunities in Malaysia, if you are patriotic,” he added.
