.JPG "Minister of Home Affairs Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin speaks to reporters in Putrajaya after naming the royal inquiry panel which will probe the mass graves and human trafficking in Wang Kelian on March 5, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Miera Zulyana")
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 28 — There needs to be some form of rationality in understanding the context of the word ‘pariah’ used by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when commenting on Lynas Malaysia Corp recently, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin said today.
“Don’t overreact, I think we need to establish the facts and be rational, and because of the certain things, a police report is immediately lodged. It is not likely for the Prime Minister not to know what he is talking about,” he said when commenting on the police report lodged by several Kapar PKR members against Dr Mahathir for using the word ‘pariah’ when commenting on the Lynas issue.
According to an online news portal, in his report lodged at the Sungai Kapar police station, V Maneyvannan had condemned the use of the word, saying that it had hurt the feelings of the Indian community.
Dr Mahathir was reported to have said that rare earth producer Lynas should not be treated as an ‘pariah’ and told to stop production and leave the country as the move would be detrimental to the government’s efforts in attracting foreign direct investments.
Muhyiddin, when speaking to reporters after the launch of the Home Ministry’s National Month celebration, said the whole matter had been grossly misinterpreted.
“So this is an issue of the context it (the word) is being used and not what you think it is because when you mention pariah, please do not think that it relates to Indians… that is not right,” he said. — Bernama
