Kangkung saga taken a racial slant?

A humble vegetable, which in some parts of the world is frowned upon as a noxious weed, has become an overnight sensation in Malaysia, thanks to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

It spawned a series of parodies and even a protest in Penang, which saw a styrofoam replica of the premier being stuffed with the leaves and stalks.

But now, the kangkung episode has taken a racial slant.

Commenting on the protest, organised by PKR, pro-Umno blogger Dr Novandri Hassan Basri lashed out at Chinese members of the opposition.

"Pakatan (Rakyat) Chinese are becoming more extreme and insolent... They openly insulted the prime minister by stuffing kangkung into the mouth of a replica of Najib," he added.

While netizens lapped up the humour and the opposition capitalised on the BN leader's faux pas, the kangkung, however, failed to tickle the funny bone of Umno leaders.

In a press conference, Umno's Pulai MP Nur Jazlan Mohamed said those who ridicule Najib are deriding themselves.

He stressed that there is a limit with regard to such mockery, and when the line is crossed, it can soil the nation's image.  
                         
"Don't focus on the small things, look at the entire issue (Najib's speech)... They just picked up the part about the kangkung and put it on the social media.          

"Do you realise that you are ridiculing the leader of this nation? This means you are ridiculing yourself," he added.  

Also incensed was Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan who lambasted the kangkung protesters as "rude and insolent" on Twitter.

Kangkung conspiracies

On a bizarre note, another pro-Umno blog MyKmu.net claimed that there is a kangkung conspiracy in the works.

In a lengthy posting under the heading - "Kangkung issue sensationalised to protect the interests of wholesalers of the DAP race" - MyKmu.net accused the opposition of twisting the facts.
                         
It claimed that it was a two-pronged strategy to hammer Umno and Najib as well as to protect the wholesalers who supply kangkung to the market by raising the price of the vegetable.

Offering another conspiracy theory, Pisau.net claimed that Pakatan is plucking all the leaves in the kangkung issue to divert attention regarding its claim that 40,000 foreign voters were brought in for the last general election.
                         
Following the general election, Umno leaders, including Najib, had called on Anwar to provide evidence.

The blogger also criticised the "pro-opposition" media and blogs for blowing the kangkung issue out of proportion.