Letter – Schooling Sanusi on choice of words – Charles Santiago 

WHAT not to say when you are a leader? 

The answer has been made easy by the Kedah menteri besar: don’t insinuate by saying one is “drunk on the toddy of popularity”. 

And, instead of apologising, don’t make it worse by advising others not to act as if they are "drunk on three bottles" after consuming only one bottle.

Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, I believe, is an arrogant and ignorant man who doesn’t deserve to be a leader, especially in a multiracial, multi-religious country like ours. 

His words come from a place of hate and disrespect despite being fully aware of the consequences of his actions.

Sanusi must know that his words can instigate hate speech and even targeted attacks against the Indians. 

The demolition of a Hindu temple and the response from MIC could have been handled in a professional manner instead of choosing to indulge in racial slur. 

Or is it too much to ask from Sanusi?

I would also like to know if the Kedah MB’s misplaced responses are endorsed by PAS chief, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. 

And it’s equally disheartening to see no leadership from Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is yet to reprimand Sanusi for such crass choice of words. 

Or is he, too, incapable of being the leader for all Malaysians like Sanusi?

Malaysia has experienced a sectarian violence in 1969, which left close to 200 dead and many more injured. We have been seeing an increase of racial tension in the country.

It’s, therefore, not an exaggeration to say that Sanusi’s actions are potentially explosive. If he doesn’t get this and doesn’t apologise he should step down or be sacked by PAS for being a danger to the Malaysian society.

His words have wounded Malaysian Indians, who are equal citizens of this country. So, Hadi and Muhyiddin must speak up or their silence will be construed as being complicit.

It’s really sad that we need to still school leaders about being respectful to one another. But we need to speak up now, to ensure such incidents don’t keep repeating in the future. – The Vibes, December 5, 2020

Charles Santiago is Klang MP