Digest on Malaysian News

Datuk Nasir Safar, special officer to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, will resign over allegedly racist statements he made, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement Tuesday.




“The remarks allegedly made by Nasir in Malacca today do not in any way reflect the views of the Prime Minister,” the statement said.

“Nasir never intended to make any derogatory remarks. He spoke at length on the contributions made by all races in developing the country.

“Nevertheless, Nasir apologises for any offence caused ... and in light of this, will tender his resignation.”

Online portals earlier reported that Nasir’s remarks at a 1Malaysia seminar at the Malacca International Trade Centre were so offensive that MIC and MCA members in attendance walked out in protest.

He was reported to have said that Chinese and Indian Malaysians were mere “pendatangs” (immigrants) and that Chinese women came to Malaysia to indulge in the “flesh trade.”. Editor: In fact, all Malaysian, regardless of race are pendatangs, from other mainland or nearby islands. Heck, some of their grandparents were likely to be South-East Asia pirates or lanun. Sendiri mesti mau ingat.

Nasir first denied the reports, saying he was just talking about the country’s history.

“I did not say the word ‘pendatang.’ I only said the country has been successful as the Chinese and the Indians from those days until today have been coming here to work,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

He also dismissed claims that he had threatened to revoke the citizenships of non-Malays who demanded that their rights be respected, the portal reported.

MIC and MCA leaders had threatened to lodge police reports over the incident.

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