Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz today maintained he would not apologise for his comments against billionaire Tan Sri Robert Kuok.
"No apology is coming from me. I don't owe anybody one. Why should I?" he told theSun today.
02/03/2018
"I don't understand why MCA is asking me to apologise. I don't take any money from them," added Nazri, when asked to comment on MCA's call for him to apologise for his comments against Kuok.
"I don't even understand why they are attacking me. I only talked about Kuok. MCA's president is (Datuk Seri) Liow Tiong Lai, not Kuok," he said when contacted.
MCA Youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon had on Wednesday demanded that Nazri apologise for his comments, which he said were tantamount to insulting the Chinese community here.
The outspoken Umno supreme council member had laughed it off, claiming that it was DAP, and not Kuok or MCA, that represent the community, as they won the most Chinese seats in the last elections.
Chong said it was not for Nazri to decide whether the feelings of the Chinese were hurt or not by his comments, as they (Chinese) would be the ones who would know better.
"Of course, I am not a Chinese. I'm a Malay and wouldn't know what the Chinese sentiments are. If you want to glorify Kuok, by all means. But I'll comment what I want about him.
"I don't care how Chong feels about Kuok, but he's trying to make this a racial thing. So he's a racist, and I am not."
Nazri said he does not base his attacks on the colour of anyone's skin, adding that he had on numerous occasions hit out at former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a Malay.
"Mahathir is an elder statesman ... served the country for years, but I still whack him when he goes against the government. It should be no different for Kuok. Who is Kuok that I can't criticise him?"
The issue arose after controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin alleged that DAP had received funding from Kuok for the coming general election, which the tycoon has denied.
On Chong's claim that Nazri lacked the Barisan Nasional spirit for calling fellow coalition leader Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan stupid, the Padang Rengas MP said he responded in that manner after being attacked by Ong.
He added that it was at an event in 2013, where MCA Padang Rengas had boycotted him for a statement he made against the party, that led to his scathing attacks on various MCA members recently.
"They campaigned against me, told their members not to vote for me there, and instigated the Chinese to go against me. Until today, they have not lifted this boycott. I owe them nothing!"
"He (Chong) claims I lacked the BN spirit. But actually, it's MCA who doesn't have it," he said.
Today, the Johor Baru Tiong-Hua Association and five major Chinese clan associations in the city issued a joint statement urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to put a stop to false allegations against Kuok.
Johor Baru Tiong-Hua Association president Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai expressed concern that the issue would affect racial harmony if not amicably resolved.
The associations, which roundly lauded the Johor-born Kuok as a model businessman, said the national leadership should recognise the tycoon's contributions to the nation.
"As Johoreans, we are all proud of him," Tey said, adding that among others, the tycoon had made a generous donation to a local Chinese high school in the state.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/03/02/why-should-i-apologise
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad defended Robert Kuok over allegations that the tycoon had funded the DAP. "I asked DAP if they received a lot of money? They said no, not a sen from Robert Kuok," the former prime minister told reporters after chairing the PH presidential council meeting, here today. "This is a fitnah on Robert Kuok....
Article - 27/02/2018 - 5:48pm - 0 comments
