Call on the Prime Minister to condemn Ibrahim Ali’s insensitive action and arrogant refusal to apologise.

Speech by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at Chinese New Year Open House organized by DAP Paisr Pinji Branch on Friday, Feb 3, 2012

Call on the Prime Minister to condemn Ibrahim Ali’s insensitive action and arrogant refusal to apologise.

Malaysia is a multi racial and multi religious country. Tolerance and mutual respect are most important and needed in promoting racial and religious harmony.

Everyone needs to respect each other’s sensitivity.

The incidents of pig’s head outside mosques in the two incidents of pig’s head outside mosques in Sentul yesterday and Rawang on Tuesday must be condemned by all.

These incidents are most shocking and we hope Police will nab the culprits soon.

It is also shocking that at the recent Perkasa’s Chinese New Year Open House function, its chief Datuk Ibrahim had distributed white packets instead of the traditional red.

It is a simple and basic knowledge that ang pow means red packet and that for the Chinese, red is associated with happy occasions.

It is also common knowledge that for the Chinese, money to help with funeral costs is known as “pak kum” in Cantonese.

Such money is usually placed in white envelope and no one will ever use a red packet. And on one will distribute white packet during Chinese New Year.

Yet Ibrahim Ali distributed white packets at Perkasa’s CNY Open House.

Some Chinese believe that giving white packet during Chinese New Year carries with it the intention to curse the recipients.

How could Ibrahim Ali, a Malaysian MP be so ignorant of such basic practice of the Chinese community?

The immediate and right thing that he should do is to tender an apology to the white packet recipients and the Chinese community.

Yet till today, there was no apology.

He did try to give the excuse that he was ignorant about the meaning of white packet

No reason whatsoever can justify Perkasa’s “mistake” and Ibrahim Ali must apologise.

He should realise that some Chinese believe that giving white packet during Chinese New Year carries with it the intention to curse the recipients.

If he did not do it on purpose as alleged by some people, he has nevertheless committed a very serious mistake.

His unwillingness to apologise only proves his arrogance and the fact that he is unfit to be a Malaysian MP.

There is no doubt that Ibrahim has hurt the feelings of the Chinese community.

I call on the Prime Minister who has been talking about the 1 Malaysia slogan to condemn Ibrahim Ali for his insensitive action and arrogant refusal to apologise.

Let it be known that our society will not accept such arrogant behavior.

Ibrahim Ali must know that unless he makes an apology, Pakatan Rakyat MPs are prepared the issue in Parliament.

In fact, when parliament reconvenes in March, all MPs from the government and opposition should be united in one voice in condemning Ibrahim Ali for his political arrogance.