Suqiu: Sub-points not set aside or withdrawn
Susan LoonePublished: Jan 17, 2001 11:51 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Suqiu has criticised two Malay language dailies and Bernama for misrepresenting the Suqiu-Umno Youth agreement by reporting that the seven "sensitive" sub-points in the Chinese lobby's election appeals have been "withdrawn" instead of "put aside".
Suqiu's chairperson Quek Suan Hiang said in a press statement today that "we were disappointed to note that many of the news reports in the media were inaccurate and misleading".
He said that Suqiu (Malaysian Chinese Organisations' Election Appeals Committee) wished to stress that "what had been agreed to by both parties in the meetings were strictly what had been expressed explicitly in the joint statement" issued on Jan 5.
"The seven sub-points mentioned in the statement are to be 'put aside in view of prevailing ethnic tensions' and not 'set aside', 'withdrawn', 'retracted' or 'dropped'," said Quek.
Different words
"All these words carry distinctively different meanings and implications," he stressed, adding that the question of the sub-points being "withdrawn" or "dropped" did not arise.
On Jan 5, Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein announced the joint statement after a series of secret meetings between Suqiu and Umno Youth, with the terms "put aside" or diketepikan used respectively in the English and Malay versions.
Malay language dailies Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia and the national news agency Bernama reported that Suqiu had dropped or withdrawn seven of its 83 sub-points which had allegedly questioned Malay special rights.
The fact that neither Suqiu nor Umno Youth declined to comment at the press conference had led to several interpretations of the joint statement by the media.
However, Hishammuddin confirmed that Suqiu had "withdrawn" the sensitive sub-points when malaysiakini asked him to confirm the matter last week.
Suqiu has also sent letters of protest to the three news organisations, copies of which were forwarded to malaysiakini.
"We would appreciate if your reports regarding this matter in future could convey to the public the right picture," said Quek in the letters.
"The public deserves the right information," he added.
Several warnings
The Suqiu controversy heightened after the Lunas by-election when Barisan Nasional lost to Barisan Alternatif and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated his stand likening the group to communists of the past and the extremist Al-Ma'unah Islamic militant cult.
When Suqiu refused to back down, the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) threatened to stage nation-wide rallies to protest against Suqiu by publicising their own 100-point demand.
Several warnings were issued by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that the Suqiu matter be put to rest and he advised all quarters not to stir up racial tension.
Suqiu's chairperson Quek Suan Hiang said in a press statement today that "we were disappointed to note that many of the news reports in the media were inaccurate and misleading".
He said that Suqiu (Malaysian Chinese Organisations' Election Appeals Committee) wished to stress that "what had been agreed to by both parties in the meetings were strictly what had been expressed explicitly in the joint statement" issued on Jan 5.
"The seven sub-points mentioned in the statement are to be 'put aside in view of prevailing ethnic tensions' and not 'set aside', 'withdrawn', 'retracted' or 'dropped'," said Quek.
Different words
"All these words carry distinctively different meanings and implications," he stressed, adding that the question of the sub-points being "withdrawn" or "dropped" did not arise.
On Jan 5, Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein announced the joint statement after a series of secret meetings between Suqiu and Umno Youth, with the terms "put aside" or diketepikan used respectively in the English and Malay versions.
Malay language dailies Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia and the national news agency Bernama reported that Suqiu had dropped or withdrawn seven of its 83 sub-points which had allegedly questioned Malay special rights.
The fact that neither Suqiu nor Umno Youth declined to comment at the press conference had led to several interpretations of the joint statement by the media.
However, Hishammuddin confirmed that Suqiu had "withdrawn" the sensitive sub-points when malaysiakini asked him to confirm the matter last week.
Suqiu has also sent letters of protest to the three news organisations, copies of which were forwarded to malaysiakini.
"We would appreciate if your reports regarding this matter in future could convey to the public the right picture," said Quek in the letters.
"The public deserves the right information," he added.
Several warnings
The Suqiu controversy heightened after the Lunas by-election when Barisan Nasional lost to Barisan Alternatif and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated his stand likening the group to communists of the past and the extremist Al-Ma'unah Islamic militant cult.
When Suqiu refused to back down, the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) threatened to stage nation-wide rallies to protest against Suqiu by publicising their own 100-point demand.
Several warnings were issued by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that the Suqiu matter be put to rest and he advised all quarters not to stir up racial tension.
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