Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir has said he is not ashamed of calling himself Malaysian, but he is angry about the issues plaguing the country at present.

“I would like to stress that I am happy to call myself a Malaysian citizen, but I am sad to see the rakyat burdened with a rising cost of living due to GST.

“I am proud to be a Malaysian, but I am ashamed that we have a prime minister who is stealing the rakyat’s money.

“I like being a Malaysian citizen, but I am angry that Malaysia’s name is being tarnished internationally because of Umno-BN’s crimes,” he said in a video clip uploaded onto his Facebook today.

On Friday, Sinar Harian had misquoted Mukhriz in a report, saying that the former Kedah menteri besar was ashamed to reveal his nationality to foreigners, telling them that he was from Brunei instead.

The newspaper later amended the story, after Mukhriz’s aide said he meant that Malaysians in general are ashamed of the country’s tainted image.

In his video today, Mukhriz listed a host of reasons why he is proud to call himself Malaysian, but followed it up with a list of reasons why he is angry about the state of the country.

“If you are proud of our country, but ashamed over its tarnished image, let us work together to change the government to Pakatan Harapan, and forge a new path to heal our image in the eyes of the world as well as save our beloved country,” he said.

Several Umno leaders had earlier criticised Mukhriz for his supposed remarks, with Umno supreme council member Shahidan Kassim suggesting that Mukhriz migrate overseas instead of damaging the country further.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had also called Mukhriz “embarrassing,” and said he should be more ashamed for making the remark in the first place.