PETALING JAYA: Newly minted Community Communications Department (JKOM) director-general Mohd Hisyamuddin Ghazali has been lambasted for using a racist term on vocal government critics
MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching should explain whether the JKOM is being used to dismiss the government’s Chinese critics as “cina sesat” (deviant Chinese).
Dr Wee’s statement came following remarks by Mohd Hisyamuddin, or better known as Syam Ghazali, who branded the label on two social media personalities critical of the government.
“JKOM is under the Communications Ministry. Teo Nie Ching cannot stay silent as if this has nothing to do with her,” said Dr Wee in a statement on Facebook on Saturday (June 13).
Hisyamuddin was appointed as the JKOM director general on June 8.
Dr Wee then asked if Hisyamuddin’s remarks had reflected the ministry’s official position and whether they were the new standards for communications under the present government.
“Are public funds now being used to pay government communications officers to attack critics with racially charged labels?” he asked.
Dr Wee said it was even more disappointing that Teo was not only Deputy Communications Minister, but also a DAP leader and the party’s Johor deputy chairman, which means DAP also has to answer.
“If such words were used by the Opposition, surely DAP would be the loudest in speaking about 3R (race, religion and royalty), national unity and racial harmony.
“But, when it comes from a newly-appointed government officer, why is DAP silent?” he asked.
Dr Wee said MCA wants Teo and the ministry to state whether the JKOM chief’s remarks were acceptable, to order Hisyamuddin to apologise publicly or to sack him, to clarify whether disciplinary action would be taken and to assure that JKOM would not be turned into a propaganda arm funded by public money.
“Malaysia doesn’t need a government communications unit that acts like a racist political party cybertrooper.
“If the Madani government is serious about 3R, then the principle must apply to all, including appointed officers.
In a recent Facebook posting, Hisyamuddin labelled former Barisan Nasional strategic communications deputy director Datuk Eric See-To and controversial businessman Datuk Albert Tei as “cina sesat”.
