PM criticised for failing to “stand firm and draw a line”.
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has criticised Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s flag protest outside a Penang hardware store, calling it “the latest wave of anti-Chinese sentiment from Umno Youth” and “manufactured outrage.”
He also took aim at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for failing to “stand firm and draw a line,” stressing that non-Malay votes were instrumental in bringing Pakatan Harapan to power.
“Instead, he (Anwar) appears paralysed, as if forgetting that Chinese votes carried him into Putrajaya,” Zaid posted on X this morning.
Zaid accused the prime minister of selectively engaging in national controversies.
“One stark trait of our prime minister is his reluctance to step into national controversies. He cherry-picks his sound bites on safer ground or not at all. On this (flag protest), he has been an utter disappointment,” he said.
He also criticised the “Chinese parties in the government” for tolerating repeated provocations from Umno Youth while reacting quickly to PAS’ religious rhetoric.
“This selective sensitivity betrays a warped sense of priorities. If unity is truly the goal, then surely the poison of racial hostility deserves equal, if not greater, urgency,” he added.
DAP and MCA condemned Akmal’s outburst and planned protest. DAP initially intended to hold a counter-gathering but withdrew after police urged all parties to exercise restraint.
In his post, Zaid labelled Akmal a “member of the untouchable elite,” grouping him with Sabah politicians linked to a mining scandal and controversial Muslim preachers Zamri Vinoth and Firdaus Wong. He praised Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) and its executive director Zaid Malek for defending the store owner during the protest.
“Fortunately, we have LFL as a lone voice of reason, filling the vacuum left by our prime minister’s silence,” he said.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Zaid said Akmal’s brand of “patriotism” was dangerous for race relations.
“The flag blunders involving the Education Ministry and even Terengganu Umno Youth show that mistakes happen. But when politicians like Akmal twist negligence into a narrative of racial sabotage, that’s when it becomes dangerous.
“Did anyone ask why a Chinese businessperson would risk his livelihood by deliberately flying the national flag upside down? If anything, Umno Youth has given his store free publicity. This is not how a ‘patriotic’ politician acts. This is how an opportunist behaves,” he said.