Dato Selvam Selliah
Naib Presiden
MAP

Permohonan maaf terbuka dan tulus ikhlas oleh pemimpin Hindraf dan MAP, Waytha Moorthy, dalam tempoh hanya beberapa jam selepas menyedari kesilapan dalam kenyataannya, merupakan satu tindakan luar biasa dan contoh teladan integriti politik dalam ruang awam Malaysia.

Dalam era di mana ramai tokoh politik sering berlindung di sebalik alasan “disalah petik” atau “kenyataan diambil di luar konteks”, pengakuan dan pembetulan segera oleh Waytha dalam tempoh 12 jam menunjukkan satu perubahan menyegarkan daripada kebiasaan dan langkah berani ke arah budaya akauntabiliti baharu dalam politik Malaysia.

Waytha Moorthy bukan sekadar membetulkan kesilapan — beliau telah menetapkan penanda aras baharu bagi etika politik, serta mengingatkan kita semua bahawa kepimpinan bukan diukur melalui kesempurnaan, tetapi melalui keberanian untuk mengakui dan memperbetulkan kesilapan sendiri.

Permohonan maaf secara terbuka seperti ini — dibuat secara sukarela, tanpa tekanan luar, dan berasaskan komitmen tulen terhadap kebenaran — amat jarang berlaku. Bagi seorang pemimpin politik yang berucap hampir setiap hari untuk berhenti sejenak, menyemak semula fakta, dan segera membuat pembetulan, ia mencerminkan kejujuran intelektual, kerendahan hati, dan keberanian moral yang tinggi.

Keputusan Waytha Moorthy untuk mengakui kesilapannya tanpa ragu atau alasan wajar dipuji dan dicontohi oleh semua tokoh awam. Ia menandakan satu kematangan budaya politik Malaysia, di mana integriti mengatasi ego, dan akauntabiliti didahulukan daripada penafian.

Dato Selvam Selliah
Vice President
MAP

Hindraf and MAP leader Waytha Moorthy’s open and heartfelt apology within mere hours of realizing an error in his public statement stands as a remarkable and exemplary act of political integrity in Malaysia’s public sphere. In an era where political figures often seek refuge behind excuses of being “misquoted” or “taken out of context,” Waytha’s swift acknowledgment and rectification of his mistake within 12 hours mark a refreshing departure from the norm and a bold step towards a new culture of accountability in Malaysian politics.

Waytha Moorthy has not only corrected an error — he has set a new benchmark for political ethics and reminded us all that leadership is defined not by perfection, but by the courage to admit and amend one’s mistakes.

Public apologies of this nature — issued voluntarily, without external pressure, and rooted in a sincere commitment to truth — are exceedingly rare. For a political leader who delivers public speeches almost daily to pause, recheck the facts, and immediately issue a correction demonstrates intellectual honesty, humility, and moral courage of the highest order.

Waytha Moorthy’s decision to own up to his mistake without hesitation or justification should be commended and emulated by all public figures. It signals a maturing of Malaysian political culture, where integrity triumphs over ego, and accountability takes precedence over deflection.