CONFUSED REACTIONS to HARRY LEE’s REPLY; ABDULLAH: Contents NOTED; APOLOGY: WELCOMED by UMNO, ACCEPTED By HISHAMMUDDIN, NOT GENUINUE by SYED HAMID.
It seems a great deal of confusion arises over the inability of the Malay papers to distinguished between “sorry and apology” in their translations. Utusan and Berita. headlined "mohon maaf" to the PM. Sorry is dukacita or sedih. Maaf is apology. Apologise is to "mohon maaf".
And most of the leaders were mislead initially about the “apology” with Education Minister even expressing “surprised” that the senior wise man had made the “apology”. Only late at the end of the day, did the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar clarify that the “apology” is NOT the desired apology for the remarks made.
But credit must be given to the Prime Minister for just taking note of the contents and asking that such statements should not be repeated without calling for a retraction of the offending remarks. PM Abdullah is a peaceful man who believes in the active nature of peace and let the matter rest. His respect for the law (in the bridge dispute) augurs well for the sound long-term relations between
Kuan Yew's "Apology" Is Not An Apology, Says Syed Hamid ;
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 3 (Bernama) --
"It is not an apology. He is just saying that he is sorry for causing the discomfort, not that he is sorry for saying that (the controversial remark).
"They are two different things," Syed Hamid told reporters at the breaking of fast at his ministry here when queried about Lee's letter in which he said he was sorry that what he had said had caused a great deal of discomfort to the prime minister.
Earlier today, Abdullah said that he had taken note of the contents of the letter sent to him in response to the one he sent to Lee on Sept 25 asking for clarification over his (Lee's) Sept 15 remarks in
Asked whether Wisma Putra would call on
"And as a leader of the country he has made it very clear. We think we want to move forward in terms of
Lee, 83, had told a forum on good governance in
The comments drew protests in
Malaysia PM Rejects Lee's Apology On Race Remarks
Updated : 03-10-2006 Media : Dow Jones
KUALA LUMPUR (AP)--Malaysia's prime minister Tuesday again blasted Singapore
elder stateman Lee Kuan Yew's claim Malaysia marginalizes its ethnic Chinese, saying the comments were uncalled for and should not be repeated. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he had taken note of a letter from Lee in which the former
"I have taken note of it, but let me say this: the statement that (Lee Kuan Yew) made in
The elder Lee last month said
Disputes have ranged from the price of water to airspace use to territorial disagreements. Lee said he didn't intend to interfere in Malaysian politics, but his comments were meant to illustrate that
"After a decade of troubled relations with your predecessor, it is the last thing I wanted," Lee said, referring to former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a frequent critic of
____
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said: "I certainly don't agree, I certainly reject the premise upon which he made the statement"
Abdullah Has Taken Note Of Kuan Yew's Letter
October 03, 2006 17:47 PM
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Tuesday
he has taken note of Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's letter apologising for the discomfort caused by Lee's remarks over the systematic marginalisation of the Chinese in Malaysia. The prime minister, nevertheless, drove home the point that Lee's Sept 15 remarks were uncalled for, and expressed hope that they would not be repeated.
"I've received his letter and I understand the content of the letter and I've taken note of it. But I feel...let me say this, that the statement that Lee Kuan Yew made in
When pressed whether he accepted the apology, he said: "I've taken note of what he (Lee) has said in his letter, everything that he has said." Abdullah believed that Lee's remarks about how
"It is important to remember that," he said when commenting on the letter delivered to his office, Monday. The letter was in response to the one Abdullah wrote to Lee on Sept 25
seeking clarification over his controversial remarks that the attitude of
Lee, 83, had told a forum on good governance in
The comments drew protests in
But Abdullah offered another perspective on the matter. "Irrespective of whatever reasons he might have said, such a statement (Lee's Sept 15 remarks) can incite the feelings of Malaysians. "So I think it is important that he has to ensure that such a statement should not be made again," he said.
Asked to elaborate, Abdullah said: "It could well incite people, and the reaction may not be something that is good." He refused to answer further questions on Lee's letter, saying: "I don't want to have a debate on it."
____
Umno Welcomes Lee Kuan Yew's Apology
October 03, 2006 18:31 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 (Bernama)--Umno welcomed Singapore's founding father Lee
Kuan Yew's apology for his recent remarks over the systematic marginalisation of the Chinese in Malaysia, but took him to task for provoking Malaysia's former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said it was not appropriate for Lee, who is the city state's Minister Mentor, to link the issue to the sour bilateral ties with
""Lee's action in highlighting the decade of troubled relations with the former prime minister gives the impression that Malaysian leaders, Umno leaders and the Malays like to create problems. "This is an insult, and the remarks should not have been made by a leader from a neighbouring country," said Muhammad in a statement, here Tuesday.
He described Lee's comments by dragging Dr Mahathir into the issue, as "fishing in troubled waters" based on the political climate in
He said Lee should withdraw his controversial statement and admit his mistakes, instead of saying sorry but yet continued his provocative attack on the former premier. The Barisan Nasional Youth today also accepted Lee's apology for the discomfort caused by his comments about how
BN Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said it was not easy for Lee to apologise. "We accept the apology, especially when it came from somebody who is very wise," he told reporters after chairing the movement's exco meeting, here.
Hishammuddin, who also Umno Youth chief and Minister of Education, said he was surprised by Lee's move in apologising as he did not expect Lee to do so.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had written to Lee on Sept 25 seeking clarification over the latter's remarks that the attitude of
Lee in his reply dated Sept 29, among others, said that he had no intention of meddling in Malaysian politics.
In MELAKA, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam said as a veteran leader, Lee should be more sensitive and have respect for the sensitivities of the people and leaders in a neighbouring country by not making provocative statements.
He said the matter should not have happened and should be a lesson so that the good relations which
"The question of apologising does not arise if the
= = = = =
and More Reactions in Report From The Sun ;4 October 2006
`Apology' noted KUAN YEW'S STATEMENT ON CHINESE UNCALLED FOR, SAYS PM; by R. Manirajan and Husna Yusop
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has taken note of the letter of explanation from Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, but stopped short of accepting his apology.
"I understand the content of the letter and I've taken note of it. But I feel that the statement that Lee Kuan Yew made in Singapore was uncalled for and not appreciated, regardless of his reasons," he said.
Lee's reply was contained in a long letter that he delivered on Monday to Abdullah in response to the latter's request for an explanation of what Lee had said during a dialogue on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund/World Bank meeting in Singapore.
"I am sorry that what I said has caused you a great deal of discomfort. After a decade of troubled relations with your predecessor, it is the last thing I wanted," Lee said in his letter, which was released to the media late Monday night.
Lee also included an annex of a dozen news reports which quoted some Malaysian politicians and leaders, including former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, accusing
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when asked to comment on
Lee's reply, said he will respond only today. Meanwhile, Barisan Nasional Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the movement believes Lee had no other choice but to apologise since his remark had created a strong reaction from all
walks of society in
"When all BN leaders stood up and defended our dignity, I believe, this has more or less made him realise he has no other choice but to apologise. This is the strength and advantage that we have in BN," he said yesterday. On whether he thinks Lee's apology was sincere, Hishammuddin said youth leaders took it with reservations as the mentor minister was one who was wise and experienced. "Whether he is sincere or not, you really need to look at his track record. But what he said has been said and gone down to the ground. With credit to Lee, he does not say things without thinking."
Asked about reference to Mahathir's statement that Malays in
said Lee's "apology" is for the "discomfort" caused by his comments about how
"It is not an apology. He is just saying he is sorry for causing the discomfort,not that he is sorry for saying that (controversial remarks)," he told reporters at a breaking of fast.
"They are two different things." On whether Wisma Putra would call on
minister has given his statement that is the position of the government."
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the country should move on and stop discussing Lee's statement. He said the relationship of the two countries should be normalised and they should work together in a winwin situation for the benefit of the
people. He said since Abdullah had commented and given his stand on behalf of
the government, MCA should not make another separate statement
See also UPdate (Oct 04 06) in previous post on
HARRY LEE says Sorry; NO Intention to MEDDLE, Influence MALAYSIAN Politics or INCITE FEELINGS; REGARDLESS, PEOPLE Have Own JUDGEMENT-TRUE POSITION
for an ANNEX (to Harry's reply) listing various instances in which Malysian leaders made "marginalised Malays in Singapore" remarks and the government there kept quiet. So the remarks by Harry Lee were justified and no apology needed?GoTo TOP (Main Page)
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