Free Malaysia Today (FMT) journalist Rex Tan has issued a full apology following public backlash over a question he raised during a recent public lecture on the Gaza conflict.
In a statement published on FMT’s Facebook page, Tan expressed regret over what he described as a poorly constructed and insensitive question posed at the lecture titled “Gaza Exposes the Complicity of International Actors”, held on Jan 12, 2026.
“I am deeply sorry for my poorly constructed question, my failure to consider its relevance to the event, and for raising it without sufficient regard for its sensitive nature,” he said.
Tan acknowledged that his reference to the Chinese and Malay races was unnecessary and could have been omitted entirely. He stressed that he had no intention of being incendiary or racist, and regretted that his remarks were perceived otherwise.
He clarified that he did not intend to provoke any community — including Malays, Chinese, or Palestinians — and apologised for the tension his question had caused among Malaysians.
Tan said he had carefully considered statements issued by the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) and other parties regarding the matter, admitting that his reference to Malaya in the question was “far-fetched, irrelevant, confusing, and unnecessary”.
He urged the public not to direct criticism or harassment towards FMT Media or his family and friends, emphasising that the controversy stemmed solely from his own mistake.
Tan also clarified that his question did not use the term “apartheid” nor was it intended to draw parallels with the situation of Chinese Malaysians, noting that several online posts had misrepresented his remarks.
Reiterating his support for the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and freedom from Israeli occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Tan called on the public to exercise restraint.
“I urge the public to refrain from sharing, creating, or commenting further on posts that perpetuate this misunderstanding, which could further inflame public discourse,” he said.
Tan concluded by taking full responsibility for the incident and apologised once again for any harm caused.
The incident had earlier drawn condemnation from the Malaysian Media Council, which denounced the harassment and doxxing of journalists following the backlash.
