15 hours ago
Should Malaysians be craving for Dr Akmal's ultimate antidote, prescription to be patriotic citizens?
RUDE. Crude. Uncouth. Arrogant. That sum up the character failings of Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh. And the UMNO Youth leader displayed them when he classified all elderly Chinese either as nyonya tua (old lady) or apek (old man) which is another derogatory way of addressing senior citizens.
Given his medical background, one would assume that he would have cultivated all the social graces found in his noble and disciplined profession that collectively would go into the making of good manners.
But once he took up politics, Akmal is seemingly a changed man. Politics has transformed him into a ferocious monster who is now trampling the world underfoot.
At one time, he used his stethoscope to examine his patients but now he employs the same device for a different purpose: to check whether the heartbeat of the people is normal or abnormal.
If it is normal, they are patriotic citizens who don't need any prescription for good behaviour.
But if it is abnormal, they are disloyal subjects who must be given some strong pills or lessons to cure them of this dangerous disease which can harm the health of the country.
He did find some cases of abnormality, mostly in Chinese 'patients' which churned his stomach upside down. His 'X-rays' revealed they flew the Jalur Gemilang upside down.
Flexing muscle
One of the patients is a 59-year-old man who runs a hardware store in mainland Penang – Kepala Batas to be precise – who mistakenly flew the national flag upside down.
But Akmal has no respect for this senior citizen who has worked very hard to build a small business and earn an honest living. He wants this apek to probably serve a long stint in prison.
This Russia-trained medical practitioner even had the audacity to warn the prosecutors to act fast; otherwise, he would stage a rally outside the business premises to teach the 'small fry' some lessons on patriotism.
In other words, he brazenly wants the courts to bend to his will. Indeed, he has no respect for the rule of law.
Recall his brush-off with DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok last year over some halal certification issue which prompted him to address her as nyonya tua. And for his uncouth remark, she slapped him with a RM25 mil lawsuit.
Why is Akmal such a brash figure? Does he think all his political antics will entrench his position in UMNO?
Why is his boss Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi not reining in this 'wild horse' ever since he galloped onto the open field and kicked up so much dust on national politics?
Future UMNO leader material
Perhaps, UMNO has found in this character a mesmerising person who can probably lift the fortune of his party out of the doldrums.
The line of thinking in the UMNO camp is probably is to let him lead the charge against the other races if it can help him propel to the top of the party leadership and – who knows – take over from Zahid whose bright star seems to be dimming.
However, this newly-minted hero must be schooled on some finer points of simple courtesies.
For starters, you do not call a lawmaker an old nyonya but Yang Berhormat.
You do not call an elderly man apek but can politely address him as 'uncle'. It is not difficult to say the word 'please' when advising him to position the flag properly and accept his honest mistake and apology with an open mind.
But it's all a waste of time and energy. Ever since Akmal found his niche in politics – instead of medicine – he has gone on a rampage against any issue that can elevate his stature as the ultimate defender of racer and religion.
Politics gives him the platform and a wide berth to speak his mind regardless of the consequences. If he had remained a doctor, he would be just be a commoner earning his keep and fame would have eluded him completely.
Fortune or misery for Malaysians?
He has followed in the footstep of another doctor who gave up his practice, entered politics, reigned as a premier not once but twice – and 100 years later, still wants to create huge, threatening waves on the political scene.
Gazing at the crystal ball, it doesn't say whether Akmal would be the next face of Putrajaya in the near future.
Nevertheless, fate or misfortune has decided that this Melaka Hang Tuah should be sent as a 'gift' to Malaysia. He is now deep into politics and is riding on a high horse with nobody being able to stop his relentless advance on the political front.
One wonders what drives him to extreme views. Probably it had something to do with this doctrine of Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy)? This volatile doctrine teaches one to treat other ethnic groups as 'outsiders' who have no place under the Malaysian sun.
And when flags are flown upside down, it only goes to confirm and strengthen his jaundiced view that the minority communities are not prepared to lay down their lives for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and country.
In the coming days, weeks and years, this doctor-turned-warrior will continue to hog the limelight with his swashbuckling histronics with nobody able to gag his unstoppable mouth as he spews more venom on Malaysian politics. – Aug 15, 2025
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
