COMMENT | I am glad that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has apologised for using the word “keling”, even if it was cited as a reference from the book ‘Hikayat Hang Tuah’.

I was not surprised that news about this went viral before Christmas, which sparked a furious response from the Indian community in Malaysia. However, I was somewhat disappointed by calls by certain people for the Indian community not to be upset by the incident.

As a non-Indian, I don’t think it is my place to tell my Indian friends what they should or should not be offended by. Instead, I want to highlight this episode as a learning opportunity for all of us.