After coming under fire from various fronts, including netizens and non-governmental groups, for his ‘keling‘ remark, Mahathir has issued an apology to the Indian community for having insulted them by using a derogatory term.
“I would like to apologise to the Indian community because I used the derogatory term.
“I never meant to insult anyone but when I was a boy, we used that word but it is now considered derogatory.
I apologise if I have caused any problems to them,” the Pakatan Harapan chairman told a press conference on Tuesday.
Mahathir had used the word when condemning the Election Commission at a fund-raising event in Johor on April 7.
He was reported to have said: “I want to use a ‘keling’ word. The ‘keling’ say ‘podah’ (get lost)”.
When first blasted for using the term, Mahathir claimed that it did not have a derogatory connotation in Kedah, where he was born and raised.
“I’ve used the word ‘keling’ since I was little, there is no problem,” he told reporters on Sunday (April 8).
“My ‘keling’ friends never scolded me, so why is MIC angry?” he said, referring to complaints by MIC treasurer-general Datuk Seri S Vell Paari that Mahathir was racist for using the word.
DAP’s P Ramasamy, who is Penang’s second Deputy Chief Minister, advised Dr Mahathir to go easy on the use of clichés and terms that may be insulting to some ethnic groups.
“I know the word was not directed at Indians, but don’t go and say all these things,” he said.
Datuk S Ambiga, the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) chairperson, said on Monday (April 9), “Whilst it might have been commonly used in Kedah and not considered derogatory there, I think in today’s Malaysia, it is unacceptable and hurtful to the Indian Malaysian community.”
Mahathir today also denied that he had described the people of Sabah and Sarawak as lazy.
“It is Utusan which said that, not me,” he said, referring to criticism from several Sabah and Sarawak leaders over his comments in a forum early this month.
He allegedly said that Sabah and Sarawak lacked progress because their leaders were greedy, and had resorted to logging activities to gain instant profit instead of developing infrastructure.
“I would be crazy to say that when I want them to support us during the election.”
“What I did say is that Sabah leaders are greedy and they have stolen some money from the government,” Mahathir said.