APOLOGY REJECTED BY DISABLED - Malaysiakini

Pasir Mas Independent MP Ibrahim Ali today apologised to the handicapped community if he had offended them over the remarks he made to Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) in Parliament recently.

The apology, however, was rejected by an organisation for the disabled after Ibrahim insisted that he would not apologise to Karpal personally.

Ibrahim showed up at a press conference at Parliament House today by about 20 disabled persons from the Malaysian Against the Discrimination of the Disabled (Madd) grouping and several opposition MPs.

The press conference was to submit a memorandum of protest against Ibrahim’s remark to Karpal on Tuesday during Parliamentary sitting. The Independent MP had chided Karpal for sitting when addressing the House and that he (Karpal) should have asked for the Speaker’s permission to do so.

Ibrahim’s remark sparked off anger among the disabled community which said his remark was insensitive as Karpal has been wheelchair-bound following a car accident several years ago.

"I never offended you but if you interpret that it hurt you, then I beg for an apology," Ibrahim told the group and the accompanying opposition MPs.

Upon hearing this, those present cheered. There were smiles and clapping all round when Ibrahim added that he loved the disabled ‘from the bottom of my heart’ and had proposed to the government to grant a flat-rate RM500 allowance for the disabled.

Four-point memo

However, the group’s joy was short-lived when Ibrahim then went on to say that he would not apologise to Karpal.

"I won’t apologise! You cannot force me!" he said, when the crowd yelled at him to apologise personally to the Bukit Gelugor MP.

Ibrahim, however, remained obstinate telling the group that they could not ‘politicise this for the benefit of the opposition party’.

After much yelling and shouting between both the parties, Ibrahim stormed off leaving a black cloud over the disabled group.

A Madd spokesperson said they would not accept the apology as they requested it on behalf of all the disabled irrespective of whether they were politicians or not.

In their memorandum submitted to Parliamentary Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ibrahim (PKR-Permatang Pauh), Madd demanded that:

• Ibrahim Ali apologise immediately and unconditionally to all handicapped Malaysians
  
  
• no discriminatory remarks be uttered in Parliament
  
  
• disciplinary action be taken against any MP who breaks the above rule and
  
  
• the Persons with Disabilities Act 2007 be amended to include penalties against those who breach its provisions.

The MPs present at the press conference today were Gwo-Burne Loh (PKR-Kelana Jaya), Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Segambut), Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Serdang), Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff (PKR-Balik Pulau), Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) and Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut).

END.

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