Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad denied insulting the entire Bugis community with his "pirate" remark during Pakatan Harapan's anti-kleptocracy rally last Saturday.
Speaking to a crowd of some 2,000 people at a ceramah in Alor Setar last night, Mahathir insisted that his comment was only directed at "crooks who steal money."
"I am not insulting the (entire) Bugis community... There are also crooks among them.
"Would the Bugis people themselves say that there are no crooks among them?" he said.
The Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu chairperson, in his criticism of Najib Abdul Razak at the anti-kleptocracy rally last week, had made reference to the prime minister's Bugis ancestry.
"Maybe he can trace his ancestry to Bugis pirates. Somehow, he lost his way and came to Malaysia. Go home to Bugis (Sulawesi)!" Mahathir had said.
Mahathir repeated his controversial comment during the ceramah in Kedah and also claimed Najib ordered a Bugis community group to protest outside his Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya on Wednesday.
The group, claiming to represent the Bugis community in Peninsular Malaysia, also threatened to lodge police reports throughout the country if Mahathir refused to withdraw his statement and apologise.
"This is Najib's way... When we (opposition) say something (against him), he will instigate people to lodge police reports.
"But they came on Deepavali day and there was no one at the office," Mahathir said to laughter and cheer from the crowd.
The gathering last night, dubbed a "rapat umum" (public meeting), was organised to coincide with Amanah's national convention which begins today.
Mahathir had also come under criticism from PAS for picking on Najib's ancestry.
PAS central committee member Muhtar Suhaili last Monday urged authorities to arrest Mahathir under the Sedition Act 1948, accusing the former prime minister of going overboard.
In Jakarta, the Bugis Youth Assembly of Makassar Indonesia (PPBMI) submitted a memorandum to the Malaysian embassy yesterday, urging Mahathir to apologise.
PPBMI head Arwin Welhalmina said that although Mahathir had targeted Najib's ancestry, his linking of the Bugis community with pirates had hurt their feelings. -Mkini
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