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Focus Malaysia
a day ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Is UMNO now divided on backing or outright opposing Akmal's 'no fear, no surrender' stand on flag row?
IS UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan's recent remark of 'don't scapegoat' firebrand UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh over the Jalur Gemilang row – but to enforce law on all – his personal opinion or that of the party? Not only that this matter should best be addressed by party president and disciplinarian Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, statement of the Rembau MP and Foreign Minister has only emboldened Akmal whose notoriety has strained the party's ties with DAP probably to the point of beyond repair. After all, Zahid who has been tight-lipped on the matter had no qualms axing its former supreme council member and information chief Isham Jalil from the party in December 2023 purportedly for being critical over the party's cooperation with DAP since the outcome of the six state elections in August 2023. Beyond that, Zahid has also been instrumental in sacking a few renowned UMNO leaders in the name of party loyalty, namely former three-term Rembau MP and ex-health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and warlords Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and Tan Sri Annuar Musa (the latter two have since jointed PAS). Interestingly though, Zahid who is also the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) broke his deafening silence yesterday (Aug 17) by – to cite Malaysiakini – nudging both his youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh and DAP Youth to quit fighting. UMNO indecisive over Akmal? Without mentioning names, the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman further stressed that the key message for both was not to let their actions harm ties within the coalition government. 'We have made a decision at the leadership level. Don't for the sake of popularising an issue or wanting to become the most popular, in the end, ties between parties are jeopardised, especially at the grassroots level,' remarked Zahid presumably directed at Akmal. As for the Penang DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) chapter which has threatened to severe ties with Akmal while describing the Russia-trained medical doctor as a danger to national harmony, Zahid – again without mentioning names – warned that political decisions should not come at the expense of coalition unity. 'Because of one incident, we don't want a political decision to be made that rocks the unity of the 18 parties that form the Madani government,' he advised. In what is believed to be a veiled response to Zahid later, Akmal posted on social media that his love for religion, race and nation is priceless (see main image). 'If that's what is considered and said in the end, I've nothing more to say. Thank you,' he penned on his Facebook page. Given that vocal UMNO supreme council member Datuk Puad Zarkashi, too, had recently praised Akmal for his patriotism in defending the proper use of the Malaysian flag while a day later sternly warned that 'messing with the Jalur Gemilang is tantamount to 'stirring up a hornets' nest', Akmal has certainly caused a division within his own party. UMNO has to now decide if it still wishes to resonate with grassroots sentiment or uphold national unity while striving to co-exist with its long-time 'foe-turned-bed partner' especially after Zahid himself had repeatedly chanted 'No Anwar, No DAP' in the run-up to the 15th General Election (GE15). – Aug 18, 2025 Main image credit: Akmal Saleh/Facebook
Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
'I won't budge even an inch!': Has Akmal emerges stronger after a 2-hour police interrogation?
SUCH is the immediate reaction of firebrand UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Salleh following a two-hour statement giving session at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur which stretches to the wee hours of this morning (Aug 16). This could possibly be the case of the DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) having heeded the call by the party's secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook to lodge 'nationwide police report' to stem the notoriety of the Merlimau state assemblyman over flying the Jalur Gemilsng upside down incident. 'The struggle is not over, UMNO Youth will continue to stand at the forefront for the sovereignty of the country,' read a statement issued by the movement. 'UMNO Youth will not budge an inch even if pressured, threatened or intimidated. As long as blood flows in the body, the dignity of the country will continue to be defended!' 'No fear, no surrender' Added the Melaka state EXCO for rural development, agriculture and food security who is renowned for his race and religion defender antic in a personal note: 'As we approach the end of the age, the righteous will be looked down upon while the wicked is worshipped. 'This is the responsibility of all of us for the sake of religion, race and our homeland. It's easy to talk but difficult to implement. We shall not budge.' In a Facebook post yesterday afternoon, the Russia-trained doctor had stated that an investigating officer from Bukit Aman had contacted him to have his statement recorded at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters at 11pm on Friday (Aug 15). 'If this is the price I've to pay to defend the honour of this country, I'm willing to fight till the end,' he declared. 'No way would I fear their tribes! No fear, no surrender!' Prior to that, DAP has strongly condemned Akmal's action of leading a march and demonstration in front of a hardware shop in Kepala Batas on Thursday (Aug 14) despite warnings from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Penang Police chief not to hold any gatherings. 'The action is a form of bullying and intimidation against the trader amid on-going investigation and that he has apologised for the mistake in installing the flag,' Loke who is also the Transport Minister had pointed out. 'Actions like this go beyond the limits of the law and the norms of the multi-racial society in Malaysia. Appropriate punishments must be meted out for such extreme acts.' DAP had wanted the police to act under Section 503 of the Penal Code which is criminal intimidation; Section 504 of the Penal Code (deliberately issuing defamatory statements with the intention of causing disorder); and Section 505 of the Penal Code (issuing statements that cause public mischief). – Aug 16, 2025
Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Health
- Focus Malaysia
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.
Focus Malaysia
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Beware of UMNO ‘patrol car' and driver Akmal going on flag-hunting expedition around the country
STREET protests have become not only a regular feature of Malaysian life but also a hobby. If you don't like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, take to the streets to bring the Prime Minister down. If you want to pressure the court to give a favourable ruling about a state's right to enact religious laws, gather in the thousands and swamp the ground of the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. If you don't want Malaysia to sign any international treaty that threatens the status of the national religion and the rights and privileges of the sons of the soil, holler for a massive demonstration on the battlefield of Dataran Merdeka. If a franchise holder happens to sell food products of a country whose foreign policy clashes with our stand, call for rallies and boycott the brand. And now comes the latest addition – if you see the Jalur Gemilang fluttering upside down, stage rallies outside the business premises or even schools to teach the culprits how to behave like true patriots. A 59-year-old man has been arrested over an incident involving the Jalur Gemilang being displayed upside down. Penang police have received 16 reports nationwide, with 12 lodged in the state alone. Investigation papers will be submitted to the DPP with a recommendation for… — BFM News (@NewsBFM) August 10, 2025 Selective persecution The list can go on and on to infinity because any incident – trivial or serious – can now be food for fodder for opportunists seeking to manufacture instant controversy and instant fame. In the latest uproar over the national flag, it appears that heroes like UMNO Youth big gun Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh are out to target one community for allegedly showing disrespect to this symbol of sovereignty and national pride. It so happened that the flag gaffe had occurred in a Chinese-medium school and a Chinese hardware shop. But the anak jantan (literally 'male child') was quick to pounce on the incident to make it look as if the other ethnic group does not owe its loyalty to Malaysia – the country they called their one and only home. He calls for severe punishment to be meted out, especially to the 59-year-old store owner whose premises ironically was the only one on the street to fly the Jalur Gemilang. The subtext of his message is – such harsh sentence must serve as a collective lesson for the whole Chinese community whose sense of patriotism is dubious or simply put it, fake. Fuelling own political mileage This 'headmaster' wants to teach the 'others' lessons on patriotism not because he is driven by the spirit of unity but one suspects, more by pure political expediency. By the time the next general election comes a calling – sometime in 2028 – this Russia-trained medical doctor would have scored high marks that would make him an ideal candidate for a seat in Parliament. So, from now on, he will get into his UMNO patrol car and drive all over the country to check every Chinese shop and Chinese-medium school to see whether their flags are flying upright or downright wrong. Or order all UMNO Youth foot soldiers to get onto their motorcycles and report back every infringement of the national flag. Akmal's hobby – whipping up racial sentiments and calling for racially-charged rallies – will keep him and all like-minded politicians on their toes for as long as the politics of divisiveness and bigotry holds sway over the life of the nation. Although the planned rally – dubbed Maruah Tanah Airku (literally, 'For the Pride of My Nation') – against the hardworking owner of the hardware store in Penang has been postponed after his arrest, the incident would never be forgotten because Akmal has forever earned the contempt and anger of all patriotic fellow citizens. – Aug 12, 2025 Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Focus Malaysia
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
UMNO Youth boss told not to defend PMX in Sabah's caricature torching incident as 'what goes around, comes around'
IT is worrisome that both courtesy and respect accorded to Prime Minister Datuk Sei Anwar are thinning by the day in tandem with the widening trust deficit gap in his Madani administration. After having poured their heart out on the Facebook page of Your Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia over the weekend with an appeal 'to save Malaysia', a similar trend is detected on the Facebook page of UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh. In unison, the fanbase of the firebrand Merlimau state assemblyman swamped his post to counter him after he defended PMX by ticking off the Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 rally protestors who torched the latter's caricature bearing the slogan 'Madani: Protector of Sabah's Corrupt'. 'You should be brave in your struggle but not stupid and rude!! (referring to the torching of PMX's caricature),' the Russia-trained medical doctor had penned on his Facebook page which has garnered 5.8K likes, 1.8K comments and 251 shares at the time of writing. 'Being brave doesn't mean we have to lose our manners as humans. To my brother undergraduate who feels brave because he managed to burn PMX's caricature, you are actually a coward and stupid person.' This is when a commenter advised the Melaka Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security EXCO not to waste his time arranging to meet up with the young minds who have yet to be tested with positions and power. 'Instead, you should confront PMX who're always lying to the rakyat. Numerous promises have been made but the fact is not a single proof that PMX has fulfilled any of the promises made before. ZERO!' Another commenter said he was not surprised as 'what's happening these days is passed down from the time when PH (Pakatan Harapan) was in the opposition'. 'Just face it for you did likewise to BN (Barisan Nasional), right? 😅😆' he teased while a fellow commenter displayed an old image purportedly of BERSIH 4 protestors in 2015 sleeping on the streets of Kuala Lumpur with a question 'Is this civilised?' Pointing to the English idiom 'you reap what you sow', one commenter stated that 'this is the price that must be paid when you helm of the government yet unable to implement what you've promised when you're outside the government'. Another contended that the notion of kepimpinan melalui teladan (leadership by example) is true simply because 'what u give u get back 🤣 [sic]'. One presumably UMNO loyalist attested that this was why incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his team 'had never issued any statement when they're provoked by the opposition even with actions that were so despicable and rude, including destroying of public property'. Suffice to conclude that this could be the first time or a rarity that the nationalistic/rightist UMNO Youth leader is besieged with comments that not only went against his statement or proposal but instead supported/defended his alleged perpetrators (the undergraduate protestors). – June 25, 2025
