Why Is It Hard to Accept An Apology In My Personal Capacity?

Yesterday, Najib, whose job includes the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, the chief of Barisan Nasional whip and the Vice-President of UMNO apologised publicly for a racially-slanted statement made on Malaysian Chinese during the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Malaysiakini reported that Ahmad Ismail, division chief of Bukit Bendera UMNO purportedly described minority Chinese as "immigrants squatting" in Malaysia.

1) One must truly notice the irony of the situation. It was Ahmad who was alleged to have uttered such words but the person who apologised is Najib. Why Najib but not Ahmad?

2) Why did a representative apologise only after the Permatang Pauh by-election and not immediately right after the statement was made?

3) Certain leadership within the Party had tried to distance it from the unbecoming statements by attaching the term "personal capacity" on this matter.

Are leaders allowed to make such statements in personal capacity during election or by-election campaigning and get away from any punishments while another party representative apologises?

4) If the answer to the above (2) is a "Yes", then try to imagine this scenario.

Let's say (imagine), if most (take for example, 6 out of 10) leaders campaigning for their own Party in an election/by-election of constituent X tell the voters that certain races are "squatters" in Malaysia, would that still be considered statements made in "personal capacity" and not a party stand?

Wouldn't that be ironic or strange if it is considered of "personal capacity"?

5) If the answer to point (2) is a "No", a necessary question to ask : Will there be any punishment meted on leaders from the party uttering racially-sensitive slanted statements not in line with the stand of Party and causing dissatisfaction within Barisan Nasional components?

Isn't unity an important element within BN?

To date, the person who made the statement in "personal capacity" is standing by his words.

6) What if one of the person who said something like this holds an important position within the ranks?

Isn't Division Chief an important position?

There is something called "leadership by example". Can any leader who possess such sentiment and not apologetic about it be a good example to members? Can such leader still be trusted to represent Malaysians as a Member of Parliament?

7) If a leader said something which is not in the form of good leadership, not setting a good example, not synonymous with the party stand, not in the spirit of the Barisan Nasional coalition, not settling, in fact causing much Malaysians to be dissatisfied, not jiving with the spirit of unity in Malaysia, will the Party hesitate to take any publicly-widely-known action on a leader?

Did the Party advise the person to apologise personally on his statement made on "personal capacity"?

There is a plus point that Najib is willing to come forward to apologise but perhaps these issues should be addressed and the questions answered.