KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — M. Kulasegaran has failed to behave as a Cabinet member, Tan Sri Rais Yatim said today amid the brouhaha on the human resources minister’s alleged “pendatang” comments.
Rais, who is a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), tweeted a picture of local daily Sinar Harian’s front page today with the headline “Desak Letak Jawatan” (Demands to Quit) that featured Umno Youth’s call for the DAP leader to resign as minister for allegedly calling the Malays “pendatang” (immigrants).
Bila seseorang menteri atau penjawat awam digesa letak jawatan lantaran mulut celupar tntng satu2 isu yg berimpak negatif nasional, implikasinya amat besar. Menteri ini sudah hilang kredibiliti sbb tak reti bawak diri sbg anggota Kabinet. pic.twitter.com/151NlBbY2g
Advertisement— RAISYATIM (@DrRaisYatim) July 31, 2018
“When a minister or civil servant is urged to quit because of his ‘mulut celupar’ (rudeness) about an issue with a negative impact on the nation, the implications are huge.
“This minister has lost his credibility because he is unable to present himself as a Cabinet member,” Rais tweeted in Malay.
Umno Youth lodged police reports throughout the country yesterday against Kulasegaran and demanded his resignation for his purportedly offensive references in a speech on Malaysian history, even though the minister apologised and withdrew his statements.
Kulasegaran said his Tamil speech at a function in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, last week had been misconstrued to suggest he had used the word “pendatang”, a derogatory term, on people who found it offensive.
The Ipoh Barat MP previously said he had, at the Nilai event, explained that Indians arrived in the Malay Archipelago 2,500 years ago and brought Hinduism with them, citing as proof the archaeological discoveries in Kedah’s Lembah Bujang area, including the discovery of Sungai Batu.
