Pic from FMT
Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be given 24 hours to aplologise for calling the “Ngeh Family” from DAP anti-Islam, failing which, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham has threatened to pursue legal action against him.
“I am giving him 24 hours to apologise, failing which I would issue a notice of demand. My lawyers are ready with the notice, but I want to give him a chance to apologise,” said Ngeh at the Parliament lobby today according to Malaysiakini.
Ismail Sabri had called the “Ngeh family” anti-Islam in a posting on his official Facebook page, an allegation he has not retracted. “In the past I had already demanded an apology, but he has not apologised,” Ngeh said, who is mulling suing the BN minister for defamation.
Case closed on “boycott Chinese” statement, says Minister
In the same FB post, Ismail Sabri had also urged Malays to boycott Chinese businesses, saying that they were responsible for not bringing down prices of goods despite the reduction in oil prices.
The post drew strong reactions from the public and forced the Minister to explain the controversy and even the Prime Minister came out in defence of Ismail Sabri.
Although Ismail Sabri expressed “regret” that his statements were “misinterpreted”, 32 police reports have been filed nationwide regarding the racial insinuations it contained. Police recorded his statement in relation to the case.
However, in today’s Parliament sitting, when a question was raised about investigations into Ismail Sabri’s comment, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim said that the case had been “closed and settled”.
In his written reply, Shahidan defended Sabri’s actions, saying that it was a statement meant for traders of all races. As such, the statement did not warrant investigation.
This is despite the fact that the Home Minister Zahid Hamidi had guaranteed that investigations would be carried out and that the Attorney General’s Chambers would be notified.
Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming expressed disappointment in Shahidan’s reply that the case was closed.
“There are clearly contradicting facts between the Home Minister and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department,” he said.
“I am surprised that Shahidan can lie openly to Parliament, this is an irresponsible statement,” Nga told reporters that the Shahidan was attempting to mislead the Dewan Rakyat.
Netizens are left fuming that while many Pakatan and civil society leaders have been prosecuted for various statements or actions deemed as threatening to the government, the BN Minister Ismail Sabri will be let off scot free for statements of a clear racial nature.
-The Rocket
