The defence minister told Parliament today that he had not meant to hurt the feelings of the non-Malays when he attributed their low presence in the military to their “low spirit of patriotism”.
“I feel it is unfortunate if my answer to the House in November had hurt the feelings of any race,” he said when he rose to explain his statement after Question Time this morning.
He added that he was aware that history had proven that the non-Malay community, including the Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and other groups, had joined in the nation’s struggle against the Communist insurgency in the 1960s.
“I did not mean to hurt the feelings of the non-Malay community,” he said.
However, when M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) stood up to interject, urging the minister to issue an apology, Zahid ignored him.
Instead, he urged leaders of all parties, including community opinion leaders and non-governmental organisations, to work together and improve the presence of the non-Bumiputeras in the armed forces.
“Let us stand together to uphold the principles of 1 Malaysia, initiated by the prime minister,” he said.
An attempt by Kulasegaran to push the matter through was, however, rejected by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, who told the opposition lawmaker that he could debate the issue during committee stage debates for the Defence Ministry next week.
Last month, when replying to a question from Setiu MP Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee during Question Time in Parliament, Zahid had said that there were only 903 non-Malays in the Malaysian Armed Forces who had joined the service within the last two years, attributing the weak presence to their “low spirit of patriotism”.
The remark had drawn criticism from politicians across the political divide, who accused the minister of being insensitive and unfair to the non-Malay community.
Kulasegaran had also recently gave notice to Parliament on a motion to censure Zahid with a RM10 salary cut as punishment for his remarks.
Following the furore, Zahid later clarified his statement and said he had not accused the non-Malays of being unpatriotic.
“What I had said was that it was possible that it could be due to several factors, including the sense of patriotism that is not strong enough,” he was quoted as saying then.
Kulasegaran, however, said that the clarification still showed Zahid’s failure to understand that a person’s decision to join the military was nothing to do with patriotism.
“I stated that no matter how one defines or looks at patriotism, whether in the narrow or broad sense and context, it is totally unfair and irresponsible to link it with the non-Malays’ reluctance to join the army.
“Hence, instead of trying to indulge in polemics, he should have been bold and responsible enough to admit his mistake and sincerely apologise to the non-Malays,” he had said in a statement last month.
In a Cabinet meeting shortly after the incident, a gag order was issued on all ministers, prohibiting them from arguing openly about the patriotism of non-Malays pertaining to their low presence in the armed forces.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon explained to reporters that the order had come under the advice of the prime minister.
“We have taken a stand as the Cabinet and the PM had advised us that no more, all rhetoric and arguments, in the open. Do work to show that we’re sincere in wanting the armed forces to be better represented,” he had reportedly said.
