Racial remark: Noh Omar says 'sorry' - Malaysiakini

Selangor Umno deputy chief Noh Omar today apologised over his keynote address at the Selangor BN convention yesterday, which has been slammed for its racial overtones.

In a statement, Noh said he had no intention to hurt anyone in his speech in which he quoted former MCA president Tan Siew Sin and former MIC president VT Sambanthan.

Noh's speech quoted speeches by Tan and Sambanthan in the 1960s praising Umno and the Malays for granting citizenship to the non-Malays.

"For me, this is an important bit of history to ensure that our country remains peaceful and its multi-ethnic populace and live in harmony, in line with 1Malaysia," read the statement, in which the word '1Malaysia' was bolded.

"Moreover, my purpose of quoting those speeches was to strengthen the spirit of cooperation and friendship among members and leaders of BN component parties.

"If these quotations are not suitable for contemporary times and if it hurt the feelings of anyone, I thus apologise," read the three-paragraph statement.

Exclusive to Chinese dailies

The statement, written in Bahasa Malaysia, was distributed to reporters from Chinese dailies at the Parliament cafeteria this afternoon.

Reporters had gathered there in anticipation of a press conference, after being prompted by BN Backbenchers Club secretary Huan Cheng Guan.

Noh, who is also agriculture and agro-based industry minister, said the written statement was sent to Chinese dailies because the contentious quotes were only highlighted by them.

Asked if he was under pressure to apologise, Noh replied: "No , I just don't want to this to turn into an issue."

Noh's speech was among reasons for 15 representatives of Kapar MCA division to walk out of the convention in Shah Alam yesterday.

The walkout was a major embarrassment for Umno, the organiser of the event, who organised the contention to forge closer ties among BN component parties with the aim of recapturing the Selangor state government.

Second major apology

Meanwhile, MCA Kapar division chief Song Kee Chai (right) said he and his members accepted Noh's apology, stressing that it was done in the BN spirit of cooperation.

"Whatever the problem, it can be resolved based on the BN spirit... thus we accept the apology," he said.

Meanwhile, DAP's Sungai Pinang state assemblyperson Teng Chang Khim expressed doubts on Noh's sincerity.

"If not for the Hulu Selangor by-election, would he apologise?" asked Teng in his Facebook status update.

This is the second major public apology which Noh had to make in the political career.

At the height of the 'nude squat' controversy in 2005, Noh was forced to apologised after telling foreign visitors to return to their home countries should they feel that the Malaysian police was cruel.

Noh, who was then deputy internal security minister, apologised for his remark and promised to be more cautious in issuing statements in the future.