Pro-UMNO comedian calls it quits after YouTube sketch invited anger

Feb 28: Comedian Salih Yaacob, who drew condemnations from netizens following his politically-charged YouTube series to mock Pakatan Rakyat, has announced his retirement.

The 52-year old was quoted by UMNO's Utusan Malaysia as saying that he was disappointed by the criticisms hurled against him, following the three-minute clip in which he and fellow entertainer Nabil Ahmad mocked PR's manifesto.

"I'm disappointed and I apologise to my fans," said Salih (pic), who also co-hosts a morning radio talk show on Astro-owned Malay-language Sinar FM radio channel.

Saying he would no longer be involved in the show business, Salih added it was now up to Sinar FM to decide on his future.

The radio station's Facebook has been flooded with messages calling for it to axe Salih for being partisan. Many have also called for a boycott of the station.

In the video, part of a series called "Bangkang Dari Longkang" (Oppose From The Gutters), Salih and Nabil stood against a backdrop of banners bearing the same colours of PR's three component parties PAS, DAP and PKR, poking fun at the coalition's manifesto and electoral promises.

At press time, the video has received close to 190,000 views, generating more than 7,000 'dislikes' against some 900 'likes'.