Yoursay Don T Let Politicians Exploit Racist Incident

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YOURSAY | ‘See how quickly this vendor has apologised?’
Guan Eng, Akmal call for punishment against racist corn seller
Mazhilamani: These statements coming from two extreme ends and being somewhat similar, are astounding.  
The corn seller’s hurtful signage should be treated in a forgiving manner when compared to the hateful comments and speeches made by politicians.
The man behind the sign, Abdul Aziz Musa, may not have socialised much with Indians or may have had a bad experience with an Indian customer.
Yet, as a businessperson, what he did is still wrong.  
Those politicians who demand criminal punishment should reflect on the nastier comments and acts they have done themselves.
They have escaped from any form of punishment to date. There should not be two different sets of laws and punishments for a street vendor and a politician.
The reach of politicians is much wider. Politicians indirectly hurt other communities even if it is meant for a particular political leader or party.
In this country, when you target a particular community, it also hurts people of other communities.
GanMu: Just a storm in a teacup. A small issue blown out of proportion.
See how Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh and DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng, both non-Indians, beat their chests as if this act had hurt their feelings?
Indians, I presume, are not bothered by such silly insinuations. They know for a fact that they are no “kelings” and they will brush this off like a feather on their clothes.
They are smart, intelligent, hardworking, and not as sensitive as others. They have other major issues to deal with.
Knowing them, they will take a pragmatic approach to this, which is just don’t purchase anything from this vendor. Who will be the loser then?
See how quickly this vendor has apologised? It takes someone with strong convictions to have the audacity to display the poster.
The speed with which he has apologised and offered to make amends says a lot. 
This whole incident could be a political stunt to prove that no matter which race the offender is, the so-called champions will spring to action, condemn the act and make them apologise.
Coward@GanMu: Indians are insulted. It’s not a storm in a teacup. But neither is it a hurricane.  It’s something that needs to be addressed.
However, a simple fine will do in this case. 
We should not overreact the same way Akmal did towards KK Mart in regard to the socks and ham sandwich incidents.
In this case, Akmal’s self-restraint is remarkable.
Robbie98: This corn seller’s act is just a mirror to race relations in this country.
If you want to blame anyone, just look at our politicians.
They have over the years progressively destroyed racial harmony in this country.  
The “positive discrimination” policy enshrined in the constitution was meant for a specific period to uplift the Malays.
Look at what it has evolved into. Eradication of poverty for all was the noble aim. 
The formation of the National Civics Bureau and the message they spread as well as the enormous amount of funds allocated to institutions like the Islamic Development Department have divided us along racial and religious lines.
Our children of various races do not mix freely any more. 
Indians have been called “kelings” in Malaysia for aeons. I don't think even the person who utters it knows what it means.
Are they referring to the descendants of the Kalinga empire (originating from Orissa India)?  Remnants from the Chola empire (Tamils)? People with dark-coloured skin? 
Whoa! Wait a minute! I see a lot of dark-skinned people around me who are not Indians. So what does it mean?
The seller made a mistake. A quick apology has been given, so accept it. Show some generosity.
Don’t allow politicians to steal the show and make it worse. We have become, in the absence of a better word, a racist country.
We as a collective have to make an effort to reverse it.
Weep for Malaysia: Let’s not bother or push for any action to be taken against the trader.
It is the seller’s choice who he wants to sell to or buy from.
As an Indian Malaysian, I am the least bit disturbed or hurt by this racist trader and will not lose one minute of sleep over this.
It just shows to me that this trader has been indoctrinated with the racist sentiments certain political parties and institutions spew and this is the outcome.
I am a proud Malaysian, but I know my roots are from India, which I am equally proud of as well.
This trader cannot damage or hurt one iota of what Indians have accomplished, not only in this country but globally.
Most probably the trader is also unable to comprehend the influence that Indians possess on the market.
OrangeJaguar9341: Since the seller has apologised quite quickly, I think we can give him a pass, provided there is no repeat of such bigotry.
Nevertheless, I support Lim’s suggestion. I am in favour of an anti-discrimination law, given the huge rise in racially-motivated behaviour and policies in the country.
We certainly cannot count on the authorities to treat every citizen equally.
We cannot trust politicians to speak out for all Malaysians, regardless of race, colour or creed.
I certainly don’t see Transport Minister Anthony Loke or Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming speaking out strongly unless it is politically expedient to do so.
So, let the law and the courts - our last bastion of justice - be the arbiter.
YellowHarimau7529: This is not an isolated case. When this happens, everyone will jump, including the ones who are the source of all this racism in Malaysia.
While we are educating our children on how to live in our society, one particular party with government resources cultivated racism.
Now that racism and religion are being used by another party to the maximum. 
MarioT: An apology is the easy way out after the damage has been done.
Punishment must be imposed as a deterrent.
Whatever displeasure one may have encountered, it does not give you the right to belittle anyone more so in derogatory terms.
Platypus: As long as politics continue to be practised along racial and religious lines in Malaysia, no act will save the rakyat from the racial inferno.
GrayPuffin9604: It is more effective to treat the root cause (politicians), not just the symptoms. - Mkini

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