Kinabatangan MP Datuk Buang “Bung” Mokhtar’s widely-derided tweet this morning celebrating Germany’s 7-1 semifinal victory over Brazil in the World Cup has had the curious effect of upsetting the government of the very country he was congratulating.
Germany’s ambassador to Malaysia Holger Michael said in a statement transmitted to The Malay Mail Online that the German government “strongly rejects” the reference made by Bung Mokhtar declaring “Long live Hitler” as part of his celebratory tweet after Germany’s win over Brazil this morning.
“While we appreciate the admiration for the German football team, we strongly reject the unacceptable allusion to the fascist regime of Adolf Hitler,” Michael said.
Bung had defended his action by saying the tweet was composed in a lighthearted vein, and added that the reference to Adolf Hitler was to compare the German team’s fighting spirit to that of the Fuhrer’s tenacity during World War II.
Modern-day Germany has laws that prohibit the distribution or public use of symbols of unconstitutional groups, in particular, flags, insignia, uniforms, slogans and forms of greeting related to the Third Reich and other forms of fascism.
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Bung Mokhtar celebrated Germany’s World Cup win with the worst possible tweet
