Penang BN wants state assembly to define 'racism'

The Penang BN’s Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad has called on the Penang state assembly to clarify the meaning of ‘racism’.

Without such clarification, he said, it would be difficult to raise issues in the House.

"It is as if we cannot mention race at all. Sometimes, we have to do it because we want to be more specific," Farid (right) told a press conference today.

"We hope there can be a guideline on what is considered racist and what is not.”

Earlier today the BN’s Pinang Tunggal assemblyperson Roslan Saidin had been referred to the special rights and privileges committee for refusing to apologise for his allegations that “Chinese doctors had refused to treat Malay patients” in the Seberang Jaya and Kepala Batas hospitals.

A Health Ministry probe disproved this, but acknowledged that there was lack of communication skills and incompetence on the part of some doctors.

Penang opposition leader Jahara Hamid (left), meanwhile, was dubbed a "racist grandmother" by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. He has since apologised, but only for using the word "grandmother".

Lim maintained that Jahara is “racist” because she had resorted to race when questioning the state on the alleged renaming of Pulau Jerejak as ‘Mahzu Island’.

She had also asked why local councils have enforced selective action against illegal Malay businesses.

'Jahara heartbroken'

Farid said Jahara's heart has been broken by Lim's remark and that it was not sufficient to merely say 'sorry' after the damage was done.

"Is it all right to insult and then say ‘sorry’? The apology cannot be accepted, as she was insulted by none other than the CM," Farid said.

He then took a page from a reporter's notebook and tore it into two, to demonstrate how a broken heart cannot be mended.

At the same press conference, the BN’s Teluk Bahang assemblyperson Shah Haedan Ayoob proposed a ‘Racism Act’ for Penang so that the people would know where to draw the line.

"Some may not utter racist words but are racist in their practices," Shah Haedan said, claiming that there were treatments meted out by state and private companies that were based on race.

"The Act will help people to better understand how to treat others. However, some people are too quick to jump to conclusions and accuse others of being racist (when the situation is not really like that)," he added.