ALOR STAR, Jan 27 – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir’s patriotic spirit must be very brittle if he is ashamed to call himself a Malaysian when abroad, said Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister said that if the matter were to be true, indirectly it showed that Mukhriz is ashamed to admit that he is the son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who is well known internationally.
“I am really taken aback that there are Malaysians who want to be leaders but are ashamed to admit they are Malaysians … by right he should proudly say that he is a Malaysian and the son of Tun (Dr) Mahathir whom we all know was previously prime minister (of Malaysia).
“He can say that he is Malaysian but Tun Dr Mahathir’s man. But it appears that is not the case, he does not even want to acknowledge his father,” he told reporters after attending a function with farmers from around Kubang Rotan at Kampung Masjid near here today.
Dr Mahathir is now chairman of PPBM and leading the opposition pact Pakatan Harapan. Yesterday, the Sinar Harian online portal had quoted Mukhriz as saying that he preferred to say that he was from Brunei when abroad, claiming that Malaysia’s image had taken a beating internationally lately.
In light of this, Ahmad Shabery said the people of Kedah should be wary of the Ayer Hitam assemblyman and former mentri besar of the state when choosing their leaders. In JITRA, Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Baharum, who is also Kubang Pasu MP, echoed the same, adding that Mukhriz was not fit to be a leader if he did not have the patriotic spirit.
He said the former Kedah mentri besar was also an ingrate because he has enjoyed a good life in Malaysia. “I just came back from attending a meeting in Bali which was also attended by leaders from several other Asean countries. They told me that they were amazed by the work Malaysia is doing in countering terrorism,” he said. He was speaking to reporters after launching the Gelombang Askar Wataniah (GAW) programme for the northern zone. — Bernama
