'PM should censure Ahmad Zahid' - Saifuddin

Former UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah had called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to censure Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was reported to have uttered racial remarks about non-Muslims in the country. Saifuddin, who is also the the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) member said Ahmad Zahid should not be charged under sedition until proven wrong. Saifuddin said this in a response to the Former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan who raised the issue on racism, at a forum entitled “Race Relations under the Constitution: The Realities in Malaysia and the Way Forward” held at the Straits Trading Building here, today. Saifuddin who is also the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) chief executive officer said he and other leaders like Khairy Jamaluddin and MCA's Gan Ping Sieu were once censured by Najib when they made statements deemed unsuitable. On Tuesday, Ahmad Zahid was reported to have said that the non-Malays were getting increasingly arrogant and insulting the Bumiputeras, the royalty and Islam. However, Ahmad Zahid was reported as saying that the statement had been 'taken out of context.' Ahmad Zahid had later said that he was referring to leaders and supporters of the DAP, in his speech, whom he accused to lack respect for the feelings of the Malays. His statement drew criticism from various quarters including from Barisan Nasional allies where both the MCA and MIC said the statement was uncalled for and contradicted Najib’s 1Malaysia vision.