HURLING brickbats on Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for his diplomatic gaffe, a DAP leader questioned why no Government leader have reprimanded the former for his error.
“When Pakatan Harapan was running the Government, we were constantly accused by Umno and PAS of being a communist sympathiser when we reached out to China, even for diplomatic reasons.
“If Anthony Loke or Lim Guan Eng had done what Hishammuddin did, there will be a huge outcry. Some quarters will call for their citizenships to be revoked and DAP itself may get investigated by the authorities.
“But for some reason, no one reprimanded Hishammuddin for putting a stain on our foreign policy. Now, everyone can see UMNO and PAS’ political charade,” Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng told FocusM.
Last week, Hishammuddin courted controversy at the end of his two-day working visit to China, where he referred to China as Malaysia’s “big brother”.
His Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, who was present at the press conference added “We are brothers”. The matter received much coverage by China’s media.
Malaysia is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), a forum participated by 120 developing nations which is not with or against any major powers of the globe.
Hisham a joker!
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also called out Hishammuddin for his gaffe, claiming that the latter had made Malaysia look like a “puppet” for superpowers.
However, Hishammuddin later shot back saying he was referring to Wang Yi as an “elder brother” due to his seniority, not China.
Amused by Hishammuddin’s retort, Lim said that the Sembrong MP can refer to anyone as his sibling, provided it was done in an unofficial capacity.
“But Hishammuddin attended an official diplomatic meeting, not some personal rendezvous with Wang Yi. When you use taxpayers’ funds for meetings, you should follow the diplomatic protocol set by the Government,” he stressed.
Lim then urged Hishammuddin to apologise not only to Malaysians but also Wang Yi for putting both parties in a tough spot.
Whether the US would be livid over the gaffe, following tension between the nation and China, Lim said: “The US will only see Hishammuddin as a joker!” – April 5, 2021
