PAS deputy president demands Waytha Moorthy resign over remarks made in viral video

PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man delivering the winding-up speech at the 64th PAS Annual Muktamar at the Gong Badak State Sports Complex on Malaysia Day (Sept 16). - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has called for the resignation of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waytha Moorthy over a remark made in a viral video 10 years ago. 

The PAS deputy president cited a viral video of Waytha Moorthy when he was the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader a decade ago, saying that he had slandered the then Barisan Nasional government by making false claims of disunity among Malaysians.  

Waytha Moorthy is currently the National Unity and Social Wellbeing Minister under the Prime Minister’s Department. 

“He is not fit to be the minister… He claimed that there was no unity in Malaysia and the rights of non-Malays were being infringed upon. I think he has to retract that statement. 

“He has to apologise to Malaysians and he has to resign,” Tuan Ibrahim said to reporters at Parliament lobby on Monday (Nov 19). 

To preserve racial harmony in Malaysia, Tuan Ibrahim said that those under the minister’s portfolio should comprehend the state of race relations in Malaysia. 

“We don’t need a minister who only sees things from one perspective, without looking back at history on how the country was formed and how racial harmony is maintained until today.” 

Prior to the press conference, the Dewan Rakyat descended into a ruckus after Opposition lawmakers shouted chants of “racist”, forcing Waytha Moorthy to cut short his reply on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

The chaos began after Waytha Moorthy said that consultations with the relevant stakeholders on the ratification of ICERD would be held in the first quarter of 2019. 

“We hope that our stern stance (on ICERD) will be a reminder to the Pakatan Harapan government to make things right before something untoward happens,” said Tuan Ibrahim.

“We support national harmony and unity among all races. We also support the rights of all Malaysians to live together,” he added. 

Tuan Ibrahim said that the government must not beat around the bush over the issue of the ratification of ICERD anymore. 

“We don’t need all different kinds of statements on ICERD. Malaysians only one to hear one thing - that the government rejects ICERD.” 

Present with Tuan Ibrahim during the press conference was Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. 

Ismail said that the issue with ICERD is not about politics, but the rights of Malays and bumiputras across Malaysia, including in Sabah and Sarawak. 

“Because the special rights is not only confined to Malays but also native Sabahans and Sarawakians, including the Malay reserve lands and the customary land in Sabah and Sarawak. 

“So we shouldn’t be trapped by the political games played by the Pakatan government,” he added.