Negri Umno slams Gerakan man for ‘pendatang’ remark – Bernama
Negri Sembilan Umno has slammed a Gerakan delegate for saying the Malays were “pendatang” or immigrants to this country.
Its liaison chairman, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic), said the party recorded its dismay over the remark at the Negri Sembilan Umno meeting yesterday.
"I hope Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong sees this as a serious matter and does not say it is a personal view," he said at the Deepavali open house of MIC Supreme Council member Datuk V.S. Mogan in Rantau today.
On Sunday, Johor Gerakan delegate Tan Lai Soon reminded Umno leaders not to use the word "pendatang" on other races and said the Malays were also immigrants.
Mohamad, who is also Negri Sembilan menteri besar, said the remark was wrong in terms of the historical and geographical facts.
"The Malays were not immigrants but lived in the Malay Archipelago. Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries were created by the colonialists," he added.
Gerakan has since suspended Tan's membership from the party. – Bernama, October 22, 2014.
