Gerakan clarifies statement

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 - Gerakan has clarified the statements of its Wanita chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe with regards to the Bumiputera status of Malays to Barisan Nasional.

President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon added that it would also clarify Tan's statements to Utusan Malaysia which he claims misquoted her in their report with hopes that the newspaper would publish the note of clarification.

"She was quoted as saying that Malays came from Sumatra. But what she actually said was that Malays came from all over the Malay Archipelago and the peninsula," he explained.

"It was a case of misreporting and misunderstanding," he said, adding that the explanation was accepted at a BN Management Committee meeting at Parliament today.

Tan was reported to have reminded Malaysians not to forget the history of their origins besides claiming that the origins of all races in the country were the same.

The Deputy Information Minister was also quoted as having disputed the status of the Malays as the original inhabitants of this country in a programme produced by a pay TV station recently.

However, despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi yesterday stating that Tan should clarify her statements before action, if any, could be decided upon, Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz called for her to step down as deputy minister.

"How can a Wanita chief from a BN component say something that could hurt the feelings of Malays?" he told Dewan Rakyat.

"If I had the power, I would challenge her, if she really is a 'betina' (female), step down as deputy minister," he continued.

At this point, Titiwangsa MP Dr Lo' Lo' Mohamad Ghazali retorted that such statements were due to "BN's racist campaign in the Permatang Pauh by-election."

"This is the price you have to pay," she said, which Mohamad declined to reply to.

-TMI