More Bugis NGOs demand apology from Dr M
PUTRAJAYA: A coalition of Johor and Selangor Bugis associations submitted a memorandum to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday, demanding that the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman apologise over his derogatory remarks about the community.
The 300-strong delegate, led by the Federation of Johor Malay Non-Governmental Organisatons (Gabung Johor), gathered outside Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana and recited a special prayer for the 92-year-old political leader.
They also held banners that read, “May Allah grant Tun Mahathir with His divine guidance”.
The older delegates chanted “Ewor Ko”, which means “Fight on” in the Bugis language.
“We still have a lot of respect for Tun Mahathir. So, we have come peacefully to his office to submit a memorandum, asking him to apologise for calling the Bugis people ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ in my son’s language,” said Gabung Johor vice-president Abdullah Md Yusof.
He maintained that the former prime minister’s words were racist and seditious.
During the “Sayangi Malaysia, Hapuskan Kleptokrasi” rally organised by Pakatan Harapan in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Oct 14, Dr Mahathir had allegedly said Malaysia was led by a prime minister who was descended from Bugis pirates.
Despite the wrath of the Bugis community, Dr Mahathir claimed that he was only referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his statement.
“It’s a personal political tussle between him and our current prime minister. But Tun Mahathir shouldn’t have made degrading remarks about the Bugis community in this country,” Abdullah said.
He warned that if Dr Mahathir refused to apologise, they would get all the Bugis associations in the Malay archipelago involved in controversy.