'Why didn't Muhyiddin tell Obama to shut up?'
MalaysiaKini.com
Dec 7, 2014

If Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin cannot accept international criticism of Malaysia, then he should likewise not accept international praise for the country, said DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

He said this in reference to Muhyiddin's angry response to US Vice President Joe Biden who expressed concern over Malaysia's use of the Sedition Act on Twitter.
 
Biden had also remarked that Malaysia could make things right in Anwar Ibrahim's final sodomy appeal, which the opposition leader claims is politically motivated.
 
"Why didn’t Muhyiddin tell the US President Barack Obama to 'shut up and mind his own business' when Obama praised Malaysia at the United Nations General Assembly in September and yet bristle with rage over Biden’s (right) tweet?
 
"Muhyiddin (right) should have told the United States President that Malaysia does not need his praises," said Lim in a statement today.
 
Lim said even Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had "practically purred" when Obama sang praise about Malaysia's economic progress.
 
Yesterday, Muhyiddin said "outsiders" should not interfere in the country's affairs in response to Biden's comments.
 
"Is foreign minister Anifah Aman going to send a diplomatic note to all foreign governments and their embassies, high commissions and consulates to remind them with the threat of rupture of diplomatic relations that Malaysia can only be praised but not criticised?" asked Lim.
 
He said the "over-reaction" by government ministers to the criticism was making Malaysia look "stupid".
 
He added that even Malaysia will need to take a stance on the human rights record of other countries as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
 
"Why do we want to get elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC or as a member of the UNHRC if we maintain strictly the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other countries?
 
"Malaysia will be taking a stand on the major international issues on democracy, human rights and international relations whether in the UNSC or UNHRC, which we have no right to do if we take the pristine position that other countries have no right to criticise our position on important issues by equating it as interference in domestic affairs of other countries," he said.
 
Lim said Biden's (right) comments were apt and Malaysia should make an effort to act on valid and legitimate criticism even if they are from outsiders.
 
The Gelang Patah MP also called on Najib to declare his stance on the matter after a series of outbursts by his own ministers.

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