MALAYSIAN POLITICIANS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

February 2, 2010 (1Malaysia seminar in Malacca)

If you say children say the darndest things, wait until you hear what politicians say, especially Malaysian politicians.

Do you remember the classic "Bangladeshi men are good lovers" remark by former trade minister, Rafidah Aziz in parliament a few years ago? Or the infamous former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad's anti-Semitic statement, "Jews rule the world by proxy,"?

Compilation Of The Darndest Statements and Remarks Made by Malaysian Politicians

March 1, 2009 (Bernama)

"The use of the term bumiputra is racist"

Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Kelantan's chief minister

Nik Aziz's remarks was made in response over growing criticism from the conservative spine of UMNO against comments made by DAP's Dr Boo Cheng Hau, the opposition leader in Johor.

Dr Boo was reported to have compared "bumiputeraism" with apartheid.

November 20, 2009 (New Straits Times)

"Employees in the private sector used English 99 per cent of the time and should switch to Bahasa Malaysia in order to show pride in the national language"

"We are polluting our own culture and identity as a nation"

Mohd Puad Zarkashi, deputy education minister

Mohd Puad said that said that speaking English in the workplace is 'weird' and harmful to the nation's culture and identity, and criticised young people for using a mix of English and Bahasa Malaysia in SMS text messages and on the Internet.

January 16, 2010 (The Star)

"Malaysians, especially Muslims, must avoid being totally immersed in the internet culture, especially Facebook and Twitter"

"Internet will erode Malaysian culture"

Rais Yatim, information, communications and culture minister

Rais Yatim said Muslims and other religious groups must be wary of the Internet as it was introduced by the West. Rais said users must not be influenced by what they see and hear when using the Internet

January 22, 2010 (chedet)

"In September 2001, the World Trade Centre was attacked allegedly by terrorists. I am not sure now that Muslim terrorists carried out these attacks. There is strong evidence that the attacks were staged"

"If they can make Avatar, they can make anything"

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister

His remarks, published in his blog, backs conspiracy theories put forward by fringe groups, and comes just days after he had also said that the Holocaust had failed as a final solution against the Jews.

"Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies"

"Indians in Malaysia have crossed the line. They force the government for 12 subjects in SPM. Don't force the government. We can anytime revoke the citizenship of the Indians in Malaysia"

Nasir Safar, prime minister's former aide

Najib's aide, Nasir Safar tenders his resignation after being called 'racist' over his remarks.

March 1, 2010 (Utusan Malaysia)

"Think a thousand times before entering a mixed marriage"

"It is, perhaps, better for those involved in mixed marriages not to have children."

Rais Yatim, information, communications and cultureminister

The minister cautioned that incidents of marriage breakups involving Caucasians happened more frequently, as compared to thove involving other ethnics group.

30 March, 2010 (In an interview with Al-Jazeera)

"If they say that oh, we feel that we are second class citizen, don't talk s**t la I tell you. You see, don't talk sh**t. I repeat, don't talk s**t three times. We the Malays have forgive a lot of things to these people. We have sacrificed a lot of our interest"

Ibrahim Ali, president and founder of Perkasa

Ibrahim expressed his views on the minorities in Malaysia in an interview with Al-Jazeera.

April 1, 2010 (New Straits Times)

"I'm Malay first, Malaysian second"

Muhyiddin Yassin, deputy prime minister

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that he would be shunned by his own race if he did not regard himself "Malay first" instead of being "Malaysian first".