Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): A former senior executive of The Edge, Anne Tong, has rubbished racist views attributed to her in a Whatsapp message, which has been making the rounds on the text messaging platform.

In a statement today, Tong said she had reported the matter to the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), hoping the authorities will “find the culprit responsible for starting this falsehood”.

The message touched on The Edge Media Group’s two special funds set up to support the fight against the Covid-19 virus health crisis.

“I have been made aware that a message purportedly from ‘a church friend’ of mine has been going around attributing certain views to me.

“The views are clearly inflammatory and designed to create anger and hatred at a time when the nation needs to heal and together fight the virus which is threatening our people of all races and religions. There is never a time for such bigotry as attributed to me by this so-called “church friend” of mine.

“I categorically deny having ever uttered such statements, which I find not only personally abhorring and despicable, but also something which I would never have said,” she said.

It was said in the circulated message that The Edge’s efforts in rallying corporate Malaysia to make monetary contributions for the Covid-19 front-liners were initiated by “a Chinese person”, despite the Malays making up a large number of the infected.

Responding to what has happened, The Edge Media Publisher and CEO Datuk Ho Kay Tat said: “A crisis brings the best in us and the worst in us and what that person, whoever he or she is, wrote and tried to make it seem like it came from Anne, is utterly abhorring. It is unacceptable that in the midst of this crisis, some still continue to see things through a racial prism. We must be together in this fight against Covid-19, as the virus does not care who it infects and kills.

Launched over last weekend, over RM15 million has been raised through The Edge Covid-19 Equipment Fund and The Edge Covid-19 Health Care Workers Support Fund, aimed at purchasing medical equipment and providing financial assistance to health care workers, respectively.

Ho said more pledges have been received and will be announced soon.

“We have been very busy raising money and at the same time, sourcing for medical equipment as the whole world wants them and prices have gone up. We are desperately trying to get them to send to our hospitals and healthcare workers. I appeal to Malaysians not to do things that will derail efforts to tackle this health and economic crisis.”

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