Ahmad Ismail (Malaysian politician)
Datuk Ahmad bin Ismail (born 1955), is a Malaysian politician and a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), serving as the chief of UMNO's Bukit Bendera (Penang Hill) division in the state of Penang. Ahmad Ismail is known for controversial actions and remarks made in the fields of politics, business and sports, including the latest controversy in which he uttered incendiary remarks about the Chinese community during and after the Permatang Pauh by-election in August 2008, leading to his suspension by UMNO in September 2008. Political career Accusations of racism "Chinese as squatters" remark In late August 2008, Ahmad Ismail was highlighted over racist remarks uttered during campaigning in a by-election in Permatang Pauh that primarily pitted Barisan Nasional candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah (UMNO) against Pakatan Rakyat candidate Anwar Ibrahim (PKR) for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat. On 25 August 2008 local Chinese daily Sin Chew Daily reported a speech made by Ahmad Ismail on the evening of 23 August 2008 at Kampung Pelet to campaign for Arif Shah, in which he allegedly stated Malaysian Chinese were "immigrants" and "squatters", and could not have equal rights. In a 6 September statement by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, Ahmad