KUCHING, April 30: Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg should stop his fondness for using the word ‘paloi’, which means ‘stupid’ or ‘dumb’ in the local dialect, as it is most unbecoming for his office.
In giving this advice, newly minted Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak publicity chief Desmond Kho reminded Abang Johari that he was holding the highest office in the state and that Sarawak, being one of the three equal partner nations of Malaysia, deserves better.
“His continued use of this most undiplomatic term is disgraceful and bring the position of the Chief Minister into disrepute,” Kho said in a statement.
“He (chief minister) may feel that his audience gets a little bit of comic relief whenever he says ‘Paloi’, but rest assured the jokes are on him if he continues to demean the stature of the position as leader of Sarawak.”
Kho pointed out that instead of playing politics, uttering nonsense and promising the skies, he should get down to the real business of being the state’s chief executive.
“That of improving the lot of Sarawakians from Long Semadoh to Tanjung Datu … and do it with ‘bersopan santun’ and ‘baik budi’ for which Sarawakians are famous for,” he said.
In that regard, Kho shared with the chief minister the following pantun extolling the virtues of courteous manners and speech:
Saya berpantun setiap hari,
Sepenuh rasa seikhlas hati.
Bersopan santun amalan diri,
Budi bahasa bernilai abadi. — DayakDaily
