Zairil said Hew’s remark posted on Facebook, claiming that the South China Sea belonged to China, displayed a lack of nuance as the issue was a complicated one.
“It involves overlapping sovereign claims and is subject to a host of international laws and treaties.
“To belittle the entire issue with a simplistic statement is to display ignorance on international relations.
“I hope leaders will be more careful on delicate matters,” he told FMT.
Hew meanwhile has been facing intense criticism by Facebook users after he posted the status that also labelled those who opposed China’s claim over the South China Sea as having “anti-communist” sentiments.
Student activist Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, spokesman for the youth group Challenger, also joined in the chorus of criticism, urging DAP to take immediate action against the “Super Stupid Superman.”
Zairil, however, believed there was no need for action to be taken against Hew over the statement that the lawmaker himself described as “inane, un-nuanced and unfortunate.”
“To me, it’s not a disciplinary issue for an ordinary member to voice an opinion, however inane, on a matter of policy, so long as it is not inflammatory.
“If someone feels it is inflammatory they are free to lodge a complaint with our disciplinary committee,” said the Bukit Bendera MP.
This was not the first time Hew has courted controversy.
He had made headlines during the Sarawak state election in May this year after a video surfaced online, in which he was seen urging Chinese voters in Batu Kitang to back Abdul Aziz Isa of DAP, so the latter could “screw the Malays”, and “screw the corrupt Malay officials” if he made it to the state assembly.