In his latest column in Malay daily Sinar Harian, Tee wrote about a certain Opposition politician’s failed attempt to get her child, borne with her Indian husband, registered as “Anak Malaysia” in the race column, several years ago.
“Of course JPN (National Registration Department) rejected the bid, as the term does not exist in their registry.
“The attempt and the ensuing backlash was deliberately done and publicised, so that JPN would be blamed,” Tee wrote.
He did not name the politician.
Tee also alleged that in reality, the politician was ashamed to state her child’s race as Indian.
“She should have written ‘Indian’ in the child’s lineage column. But that didn’t happen. According to the Chinese culture, which gives importance to the father’s side, she should have stated Indian as the child’s race. Instead, she blamed the JPN for stating ‘Chinese’ as the child’s race.
“Where is her ‘Malaysian’ spirit, which values diversity? Furthermore, her party has always claimed to be multi-racial. Why not celebrate the Indian race, by registering the child as Indian? Are the Indians so despised? Are they also not created by Allah? Who’s the racist here, and can a leader like this be counted to lead the nation?” Tee asked.
He cited his own case, where he, a Chinese married to a Malay, had stated Chinese as the race of his children.
“Why? Because I’m a Chinese and JPN gives people room to choose their race, according to their parents’ lineage.”
Tee also claimed that the “ultra kiasu” – the usual term he uses to refer to the Chinese, especially from the DAP, look down on dark-skinned people.
“They avoid being neighbours with dark-skinned people. They are more comfortable with light-skinned people. This is why you see many of them migrate to Western countries.”
Tee further criticised female politicians, who were allowed to go into suraus and mosques during the fasting month, while donning the baju kurung and “tudung”, to “show love and respect for the month.”
“To be honest, is she willing to dress up in such attire every time the Dewan is in session? The answer is no, because the ‘ultra kiasu’ prefer to wear Western attire.”
Tee conceded that he would continue to be “attacked” for as long as he was bold in his stance. He claimed this included receiving death threats.
“It is not impossible if I get shot one day. My fate is in God’s hands.”