KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth has lodged a police report against controversial academician Ridhuan Tee Abdullah over his remarks that Malaysian Chinese Olympians are unpatriotic and only compete in sports for monetary benefits.  

Its secretary-general Datuk Leong Kim Soon (pix) and several members of the wing lodged the report at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters at about 3.15pm Friday.  

Leong said the report was made so that police can investigate Ridhuan’s remarks and take action against him.  

“We want him to apologise for his remarks. His comments are an insult. We know that our athletes love the country and are not competing in sports for individual benefits.  

“We should be celebrating the month of independence with love for our country. As a professor, he should give his support and words of encouragement to our athletes.  

“Do not bring up elements of sedition that can jeopardise the peace in the country and unity among the races,” he said.  

Leong said it took about half an hour for the police to process the report.  

In his column in a Malay daily published on Monday, Ridhuan said sports had become a business and a means to gain popularity, and it was no longer for patriotism but only for show.  

He wrote that "ultra-kiasu (mercenary)" athletes compete for monetary rewards rather than patriotic reasons and thus were driven towards individualistic sports rather than sports which require teamwork.  

Ridhuan, a Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin lecturer, also urged for more diversity in Malaysian athletes.

-The Star-