KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Selangor Umno Youth wants Cisco Systems Malaysia to explain if its employee Eric Liew had resigned or was terminated after he came under fire on social media for insulting Sultan Muhammad V when he abdicated as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong earlier this week.
The youth wing’s deputy chief Amin Mohd Shukor said they were giving the company 24 hours to respond after Cisco said on Facebook that Liew is no longer working with the company without stating if he was sacked or had resigned.
“We need the black and white on whether Eric was told to resign or Cisco fired him.
“We’ve given them 24 hours. After that, I won’t say what we will do except that it’s a surprise,” Amin told reporters after meeting Cisco Systems Malaysia managing director, Albert Chai, at the company’s office in Menara 1 Sentral today.
Amin and a small group of supporters had gone to the company’s office at about 2pm to demand answers after they were turned away yesterday.
Chai, when asked by reporters, declined to explain Liew’s departure.
“We abide by the local laws and we can’t divulge information on individual employees. What we can say is as of yesterday Eric is no longer with the company.”
Chai said Liew’s comment on the abdication was a personal view and did not reflect the values of the company.
He added that they were taking steps to educate their staff on social media behaviour but wouldn’t specify what steps were taken.
Chai also wouldn’t state if he and the Cisco would respond to Amin demands within the stipulated 24 hours.
Liew had insulted Sultan Muhammad V on Facebook and later removed the post with an apology.
However, online sleuths revealed that he was an employee of Cisco and triggered an avalanche of comments demanding his sacking.
Amin was partially satisfied with Cisco’s response, but insisted he wants a proper answer much like what happened in previous cases.
“I want to emphasise that this isn’t a racial issue, but one that involves the constitution. Much like the Malay-Muslim housewife who insulted our Agong last month.”
In December last year, the Kota Bharu housewife was jailed eight months after she insulted Sultan Muhammad V on Facebook.
Amin also cited Honda Malaysia’s sacking of a female employee after her insensitive remarks on Facebook on the death of firemen Mohammad Adib Mohd Kassim, who was allegedly assaulted in the riot at Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple in Subang Jaya last November.
