Selangor BN Sends Memo To Palace Over Rejection Of 'Bugis Issue' Motion




SHAH ALAM, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen today submitted a memorandum to the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to protest the State Legislative Assembly's rejection of a motion to debate on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's alleged insulting remarks against the Bugis community.

Selangor BN coordinator, Datuk Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan said the memorandum was also a mark of support for the sultan's statement expressing his displeasure at the remarks made by the Pakatan Harapan chairman.

"The State Assembly Speaker (Hannah Yeoh) had yesterday rejected the motion (submitted by Kuang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Shukor Idrus), citing it as a trivial and unreasonable issue, especially when stating it was of no public interest.

"To me, this issue is very important as it involves the sultan's command, hence we felt compelled to submit the motion (to the State Assembly) on the matter so that Tuanku (sultan) would know that the BN assemblymen are always with Tuanku and support His Royal Highness in this matter."

Mat Nadzari said this to reporters after handing the memorandum to the Selangor Sultan's private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, at Istana Bukit Kayangan, here.

He also expressed regret over the Speaker's unconcern for the issue to be debated on and urged the Selangor government to state its stand on the matter.

On Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali's statement yesterday for the issue to be resolved amicably, he said the State Assembly was the best place to do so.

"Yes, let's do it at the State Assembly?.we are not hooligans... we are disciplined, we have morals, more so when we discuss such an important matter as this while there is value in the statement from the sultan," he said.

Dr Mahathir had at a public gathering organised by opposition parties in Petaling Jaya on Oct 14, tried to link Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's ancestry to the Bugis pirates of yore.

The remarks incurred the wrath of Sultan Sharafuddin, who is of Bugis descent, as it was seen as trying to instigate the public to hate, malign and have a distorted view of the Bugis people.

-- BERNAMA