Muda president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz has called for an apology from former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad after he claimed that Malaysian Indians are not “completely loyal to Malaysia”. According to Amira, Dr Mahathir has a history of publicly attacking and undermining Malaysians.
Amira emphasized that the Indian community in Malaysia is still burdened by Dr Mahathir’s prejudicial remarks despite his long tenure as the prime minister. She believes that all Malaysians are loyal to their country and should not face accusations and belittlement for their allegiance.
In addition to demanding an apology, Amira also questioned whether Dr Mahathir was attempting to divide Malaysians with his statements.
Amira condemned Dr Mahathir’s speech and called for him to be more responsible as a former prime minister.
During a recent interview with a Tamil news channel in Chennai, India, Dr Mahathir asserted that Malaysian Indians are not completely loyal to the country, as they still identify with their country of origin rather than Malaysia. He also claimed that Malaysian Indians do not speak Malay but prefer to speak Tamil, and suggested that one should identify as Malay in order to call the country their own. Furthermore, Dr Mahathir stated that non-Malays should fully assimilate and “become Malay”.
Dr Mahathir’s remarks have sparked criticism from various leaders, including National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, who expressed disappointment with the former premier’s remarks. Aaron stressed the importance of political leaders refraining from making statements that touch on religious and racial sensitivities.
