Guan Eng slams DAP rep for ‘insensitive’ Chong Wei remarks
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today chastised his party’s Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M. Manoharan for his “grossly insensitive remarks” about Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s performance during Sunday’s Olympic gold medal badminton final against China’s Lin Dan.
Lee lost for the second Olympics in a row to Lin in the badminton final after a hard-fought match that captured the imagination of the public and in which he was labelled a national hero despite the loss.
But Manoharan (picture), a DAP assemblyman in Selangor, had appeared to criticise Lee and linked his defeat to Barisan Nasional (BN) rule in a series of tweets following the match that attracted widespread condemnation.
“Malaysia will win its first GOLD Medal in Olympics after Pakatan takes over Putrajaya.
“Najib, whatever monetary reward promised for Chong Wei, please give it to the poor boy Lin Dan.
“LIN DAN wins. He played better than Lee Chong AWAY,” the outspoken politician had said in his remarks on Twitter.
Speaking in George Town today, Lim, who is Penang chief minister, said the party felt very disappointed with Manoharan’s comments.
“We feel very disappointed with these grossly insensitive remarks coming from Mano. He does not represent DAP.
“He is practically alone in the party for making such comments,” Lim told reporters in Penang.
Lim said he agreed with views that sports should be separated from politics, “and that is why in Penang we do not hold any positions in sports associations.”
The chief minister added that his administration would also be awarding Penang-born Lee with RM100,000 for his achievement in being the first Malaysian to win two Olympic silver medals.
The DAP has come under pressure after Manoharan’s remarks on Twitter, with the controversy threatening the party’s popularity among urban voters seen as its most ardent supporters.
Yesterday, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang hailed Lee as a national hero and recommended that the federal government make him “Sportsperson of the Decade” in what is seen as remarks designed to control the fallout from Manoharan’s remarks.
Earlier this morning, Kit Siang also took to Twitter to say that Manoharan would apologise for his remarks.
Lee arrived home here this morning and received a rousing welcome from a sea of fans at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
