There is no room for leaders with "warlord" and arrogant attitudes in the Barisan Nasional (BN), said Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary-General, Teo Chee Kang.

The Sabah Daily Express Wednesday (10 Sept) quoted him as saying leaders like Umno Bukit Bendera division chief Ahmad Ismail "should be the first to go".

"Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has rightly pointed out that he has got the message from the Permatang Pauh by-election," he told reporters.

The Tanjung Kapor Assemblyman said the remarks by Ahmad Ismail were "very irrational, narrow-minded and simply racist", the paper reported.

"I believe the more than six million Chinese in Malaysia have been hurt by the remark," he said, adding that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had directed Ahmad to apologise to the Chinese community and on top of that Najib had, in fact, apologised on his behalf.

"It shows the seriousness of the matter but Ahmad Ismail has blatantly disregarded the Prime Minister's directive," he said, adding that instead Ahmad arrogantly demanded that the journalist who he claimed had misquoted him apologise.

However, based on newspaper reports, three journalists from three Chinese newspaper organisations had been consistent in saying that Ahmad Ismail had uttered the words, "orang Cina semua menumpang" (Chinese are sojourners).

"It shows that he is very naive because the ancestors of a great number of the people and even leaders are also from foreign lands," he said, adding that strictly looking at historical facts, probably the only people who can claim to be the original people of the land are the Sakais, Dayaks, Murut and Kadazan Dusuns.

"Does it mean that the people from other races can claim, other than indigenous people, the others are immigrants. This is totally against the unity spirit," he said.

Teo urged the BN leadership especially the Prime Minister to take immediate action against Ahmad Ismail. (MySinchew)