On April 12, Malaysiakini had attributed certain remarks to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a report on the interfaith panel , in particular the phrase ‘small fry'.
In denying he had used the phrase, Muhyiddin clarified that he had not spoken in English during the event - a press conference in Rawang.
We wish to clarify that the phrase ‘small fry' was our translation of his comments in Bahasa Malaysia, interpreted in the larger context of his statement that (paraphrased here):
- the committee is not a council or commission;
- it has no decision-making power; and
- it has an administrative role under the Prime Minister's Department.
"Sambil menasihatkan semua pihak supaya tidak bimbang dengan penubuhan berkenaan, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, ia hanya sebuah jawatankuasa kecil yang tidak akan memutuskan sebarang keputusan berhubung undang-undang atau dasar berkaitan semua agama yang ada di negara ini.
"Ia dibuat di bawah pentadbiran Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM) supaya wakil di dalamnya boleh duduk berbincang. Saya tidak fikir ia akan mengamalkan dasar mengutuk perkara berhubung keagamaan. Ia cuma membuka ruang untuk semua bertukar pandangan.
"Tujuan pokoknya untuk mewujudkan persefahaman. Jawatankuasa ini tidak boleh memutuskan sebarang perkara kerana hasil perbincangan akan dibawa semula ke JPM untuk dijadikan panduan penambahbaikan perpaduan antara agama dan kaum," katanya.
The DPM has since accused Malaysiakini of ‘acting with bad intentions' and of ‘twisting the facts'.
We wish to put on record that there is no hidden motive in our coverage of events or in presenting the facts. Any misinterpretation of the DPM's statement is regretted.
