KUALA LUMPUR – DAP leaders have slammed Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for labelling the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component party as a “lapdog” following his criticism stemming from the discontinuation of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial.
Taking to Twitter, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said that the apparent condemnation of DAP from Syed Saddiq, who is also Muar MP, is “unacceptable,” especially from the viewpoint of a Malay.
“I cannot accept the ‘lapdog’ title (Syed Saddiq) has given to those of us in DAP. As a Malay, being called a dog is an insult that I cannot accept.
“‘Lapdog’ is not a proverb or a pejorative term. (Syed Saddiq) is really calling us a kind of dog. Unacceptable,” Syahredzan said in a tweet which has since been deleted.
In explaining his decision to remove the tweet, Syahredzan said that he did not mean to imply that dogs are “contemptible”.
“It is unacceptable for Syed Saddiq to use that term on us, especially by a so-called ally.
“I demand that he should retract the insult, or risk further damage to the relationship of our two parties,” he added.
He also said that while he is aware of how his own party members had once used the term against other opponents, Syed Saddiq’s act is still offensive.
“Now I realise how offensive it is being at the receiving end. There is no logic to being offended, it just is.”
Expressing similar sentiments, DAP central executive committee member Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali said that he is “disappointed” with Syed Saddiq’s “overboard” comments, recalling how DAP had stood by Muda’s side during previous elections.
“It’s as if Syed Saddiq has forgotten how loyal and supportive DAP was towards him and Muda. During the Johor state election, for example, because I am from Johor, we know how DAP worked together and sacrificed for Muda in times of hardships and joy.
“From seat allocations for the Johor polls until the general elections (GE15) the same year, Syed Saddiq has been aware of this. He should realise that DAP’s contributions led to Muda gaining its sole parliament and state seat,” Sheikh Umar said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.
Syed Saddiq secured the Muar parliamentary seat during GE15 while the state polls saw the youth-based party’s secretary-general Amira Aisya Abd Aziz winning the Puteri Wangsa state seat.
Sheikh Umar added that Syed Saddiq’s comment, which was made in support of former Umno man Khairy Jamaluddin’s similar assertions, should not have been publicly aired without prior discussion among unity government allies.
“(Syed Saddiq) is not Khairy. Khairy is free to attack (any party) because he is an outsider, unlike Syed Saddiq. This should not have happened.”
Yesterday, Syed Saddiq called DAP “Zahid’s lapdog” after Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming, who is also DAP vice-chairman, suggested that Syed Saddiq should refrain from publicly airing his discontent over the discontinuation of Zahid’s trial.
Nga said that the matter could have instead been discussed internally among the unity government’s top leaders as a face-to-face discussion would be more professional than making public statements.
Nga’s rebuke came after Muda issued an ultimatum and threatened to pull its support from the unity government in response to deputy prime minister Zahid being granted a discharge without an acquittal (DNAA) for his 47 corruption charges.
Amira said on Tuesday that the party’s leaders and council members unanimously agreed in a recent meeting that the government’s decision indicated a departure from its previous commitment to combat corruption.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has since said that he was not involved in the court’s decision as the attorney-general has full powers to handle the case. – September 8, 2023