Merlimau Assemblyman Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has revealed that the situation behind the scenes is not as chaotic as it is portrayed in the media and by other political parties.
When addressing calls for unity by his predecessor as UMNO Youth Chief and former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Akmal said that expressing dissatisfaction or highlighting the flaws of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) does not mean he is opposed to the Chinese community.
“It’s just like when DAP criticises UMNO, it doesn’t mean they’re against the Malay community. UMNO is UMNO, DAP is DAP.”
In the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, the UMNO Youth Chief pointed out that the Chinese community in Merlimau, Melaka, has no issues with him.
“I have nothing against the Chinese; my mother-in-law is Chinese”
Akmal shared that when he took an e-hailing ride once, the driver expressed what he thought of the UMNO Youth Chief: fierce and loud. Akmal, however, politely told the driver not to judge him based on how the media has been portraying him.
“If I am against DAP, it doesn’t mean that I am against the Chinese community. My mother-in-law is Chinese,” Akmal revealed in Keluar Sekejap.
Akmal added that others are welcome to visit Merlimau and see the situation for themselves, including how he interacts and mingles with the local community.
“They told me they know who I’ve always been and that they don’t care what others say about me. Those who always say that I am racist are those from the other side (DAP).”
Akmal’s legal battle with Teresa Kok
When asked about the Halal logo dispute with Member of Parliament (MP) for Seputeh Teresa Kok, Akmal said that while differing opinions are acceptable, he draws the line at remarks he considers insulting.
He added that he perceived an element of insult when Teresa Kok described the country’s Halal policy as something that “will embarrass the country”. The dispute has since been escalated into a civil suit by the Seputeh MP.
The Merlimau Assemblyman also said that if he were going to respond to Teresa again, he probably wouldn’t have remarked, “sticking a Halal logo on Teresa’s face”.
