Saturday 26 April 2008

I am sorry for wielding the keris - Hisham

Umno Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein Friday apologised to the Malays and non-Malays for wielding keris two years ago.

Hishammuddin said as a responsible party leader, he should apologise if his action in wielding the "Panca Warisan" keris at the Umno Youth general assembly, contributed to the Barisan Nasional (BN)'s losses in five states in the March 8 general election, according to Bernama.

He said the keris issue was among those being brought up openly at the Barisan Nasional (BN) youth committee meeting to look at the reasons for the BN's dismal performance in the election.

"I told them that I'm responsible for what I've done. If it had affected the performance (of the BN), we cannot run away from the reality."If the issue had affected anyone, I apologise to the non-Malays and the Malays," he told reporters after chairing the three-hour meeting from 3.30pm at the Menara Dato Onn here Friday.

Hishammuddin, who is also Education Minister, said the reality of why the keris was wielded had been manipulated by certain quarters.

"(I apologise) to the non-Malays for making them feel apprehensive about (the keris) symbol, and to the Malays for not being able to defend our symbol of heritage. (The wielding of the keris) is not what it was made out to be," he said.

Hishammuddin however said that as a leader, he would accept the reality if it was true that the keris issue had contributed to the BN's losses.

"I'm not an arrogant person who can't accept reality. This is a sad lesson indeed. But if that's how politics goes, we as a leader should be willing to put the party's interest above self-interest," he said.

Asked whether that would mean that the Panca Warisan keris no longer had any meaning, Hishammuddin said, it was still very meaningful to him as a Malay but not many had come to its defence.

"The keris will not go anywhere," he said, adding that the BN youth chiefs were unanimous in moving forward and concentrate on efforts to regain the people's confidence. Continue here...

(Finally! If only he had said it earlier, before the G.Elections, things might...might have turned out differently. Indeed it is a sad lesson, as he admitted, that it took the loss of five states for him to finally accept the fact that the keris was a contributing factor for the BN's dismal performance. )

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear kak..

Ah..so finally he admits it. But I think this is too late now... The damage has been done. And I don't think he would be remembered with nice thoughts by most. Because this is not the first time that disapproval over the keris issue was voiced, but he just never wanted to listen.
I guess it just had to take this kind of loss for facts to really sink in..

Michelle

Anonymous said...

Looks like some spin doctor is not reporting in full..

Please go to Malaysiakini or this site for a different version.

http://pray-for-malaysia.blogspot.com/2008/04/apology-that-is-not-apology.html

puteri said...

Cant agree more with Michelle. Why did it take so long for him to say "I'm sorry."

It's a lil too late. Damage is done. Nasi dah jadi bubur.

There aint going to be a next time.

Like tok mommy said in her previous postiing:

Padan muka!

Anonymous said...

For the benefit of others, this is m'siakini's version.

Thanks anon 7:47AM, for the link:

Did Hishammuddin Hussein apologize for raising the keris during the previous few years of the Umno annual general assembly? Here is his "apology":

"I am sorry of it had affected the non-Malays"

"I would also like to apologise to the Malays over my failure to uphold the Malay symbol (keris)"

Further, Hishammuddin Hussein could not guarantee that the would not to do it during this year’s Umno annual general assembly.

So is this an apology or "an apology that is not an apology"? Maybe it is what the Malays would call a sandiwara, a wayang kulit, a show. Was it sincere? I doubt it.

Look at his face. Does it not show aggression? Can the non-Malays be blamed if they inteprete that keris act as a threat to spill blood for a keris (a Malay dagger) is a weapon and it had been used to kill. Can the non-Malays be blamed if they take that as a threat that if they do not act like sheeps, they may be subjected to another May 13?

Posted by Peter at 9:31 PM

Anonymous said...

Nothing seems to please all of you, does it? He doesn't apologise, you make noise. Now he apologises, you still make noise. Didn't he apologise like what you all wanted..albeit a bit late. I may not like him that much, but at least he did apologise.

Anonymous said...

It's too late baby, now it's too late
Though you really did try to say you're sorry
Something inside me says it aint an apology
So please dont fake it.

Anonymous said...

All impact eroded !

Hishammuddin did the right thing by apologising but his action loses much of its impact when, in the very next breath, he aplogised to the Malays for his failure to uphold the Malay symbol.

By his so doing, his sincerity becomes suspect. He could have won over many of his detractors, but many who were prepared to forgive, now, also, sense the apology is given very grudingly. The politician in him carries more sway than the sense of human decency in him. Politicians will always be politicians, they can see beyond their own egos.