DAP mulls action on Mano

KUALA LUMPUR : DAP national deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the party's central executive committee (CEC) is deliberating on the case of its Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M.Manoharan making disparaging Tweets on national badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei after he lost in the Olympics finals.

Asked if the deliberation will push for disciplinary action against Manoharan, Dr Tan said: “The matter is now in the hands of the CEC. Let them decide.'' 

Speaking to The Mole,  Dr Tan was quick to add: “He (Manoharan) has already apologised over his tweet and is sorry about it." 

Dr Tan Seng Giaw 

Manoharan apologised for his recent criticism over national sports hero Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s effort to win a Gold Medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Bloggers have expressed dissatisfaction over the apology and pressured the Opposition coalition to take action against Manoharan. They stressed that his apology was not enough as a consequence to the seriousness of his tweets.

Prominent blogger, Rocky Bru in his blog said not only Manoharan that should apologise but so should his party and they owe an apology to not only Lee Chong Wei but to all Malaysians.

"Guan Eng said that Mano, the Hindraf man from DAP, "does not represent DAP" (funny, Mano is DAP state assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah). Guan Eng also pledged RM100,000 (not his) to Lee Chong Wei for his silver medal at the London Olympics," the blogger wrote.

Kit Siang's wish is a command to Mano, so he had to say sorry. (Either that, or Kit Siang must have told Mano he won't be dropped from PRU13 if he quickly and deeeeply apologise! Mano, many know, was already on the way out for his performance since getting elected in March 2008).

Another blog posting by SYA The one and only said the rakyat (people) were the ones to decide whether Manoharan’s apology should be accepted.

The blogger wrote : “When our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sincerely apologised once upon a time, even the great Lim Kit Siang in his ceramah (talk) asked all the Malaysians not to forgive Najib.’’

The blogger further wrote that the party should sack Manoharan stating the DAP has sacked so many leaders, members and supporters just because they could not see eye to eye with the party’s secretary general Lim Guan Eng.

Prior to this, Manoharan in a news report said he seemed surprised that his tweets had offended Malaysians stating, “My comments were not intended to insult or degrade anybody.’’

On August 6, Manoharan had sparked controversy over his tweets criticising Lee, stating : “Lin Dan wins. He played better than Lee Chong AWAY.”

Some of his other tweets included:

“Lin Dan is so stylish. So modern. Doesn’t look like a China man. But from China. Tattoo all over.’’ and "If Chong Wei played better than Lin Dan, why didn’t he win? We must be firm with our players so we could see a GOLD one day.’’

Manoharan also tweeted stating Malaysia will win its first Olympics gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 after Pakatan Rakyat takes over Putrajaya.

Barisan Nasional’s P.Kamalanathan when contacted said that was not the first time representatives from the opposition have hurt people’s feelings just for their political agenda.

The Hulu Selangor MP said Manoharan has always been making unnecessary remarks such as suggesting that the national flag would be changed if Pakatan forms the government.

"I think this is the trend of opposition lawmakers, trying to confuse and even stoop so low such as politicising sports.”

“Since he likes Lin Dan so much, I think we should tell him to apply for citizenship in China," Kamalanathan said.

Last year,The Mole highlighted, Manoharan had openly said that he will replace the national flag, due to its "deficiencies and shortcomings". 

Source: MOLE