KUALA LUMPUR: Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz has dismissed claims that he made a racist remark in the Dewan Rakyat concerning Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga.

Instead, he said he had merely asked whether Ambiga should be considered a traitor to the King and be punished by hanging.

"I respect my Indian and Chinese friends such as those from the MCA, MIC and PPP. It is DAP that has run out of issues to play up and twisted facts.

"Perhaps they don't understand the Malay language and that is why they did not know that my statement was actually a question," he told reporters at Parliament lobby.

According to the Dewan Rakyat hansard, Mohamad had said on Tuesday, "Apakah Ambiga tidak boleh kita anggap penderhaka kepada Duli Yang Maha Mulia Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan hukum gantung kepada dia?" (Can we consider Ambiga as a traitor to the Duli Yang Maha Mulia Yang di-Pertuan Agong and punish her by hanging?).

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told a press conference that Mohamad's statement was racist and threatening in nature as it was directed towards an Indian and Hindu woman.

Mohamad retorted saying it was the DAP which played up racial sentiments and dragged the Indian community into the fray as he had not even mentioned the community in his remark.

"It is my personal opinion. Umno has also clarified that it upholds the Federal Constitution," Mohamad said.

"I do not need to say I'm sorry because I did not do any wrong. My statement was not an accusation. It was a question," he added.

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