Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob today clarified that he did not mean cut off his ears literally if Barisan Nasional lost in Bentong.

NONEInstead, he explained that it was a figurative speech intended for his critics to learn English.

"Do you know figurative speech? In English language, we have figurative speech. We have simile, we have metaphor, hyperbole...

"So when I say cut my ears, that means they (DAP) can never win. That shows the level of confidence.

This is not that is we (BN lose) they (opposition) take the knife and cut off my ears literally.

"No, this is figurative speech - figurative language to let these people study English," he told journalists along the sidelines on the last day of the Umno general assembly today.

'I speak based on facts'

Adnan said this when asked to comment on the online storm over his ear-cutting remark, which saw him on the receiving end of a long list of abuses.

He added that these people were "adversaries" and "political enemies", thus such criticisms were expected.

Adnan also insisted that the Lynas Advance Material Plant was safe because the local authorities and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had given the project the green light.

"We respect their views but please accept authoritative views given by IAEA. Come on lah netizens, don't be sleeping citizens lah," he said.

"Whatever they want to say, gangster or animal, let them. If they can brand me such names, I can also do the same, I can call them stupid.

"What is the term you use for people who don't want to admit facts given by authoritative body and authoritative people?" he added.

He added that the Lynas plant cannot be arbitrarily cancelled as advocated by the opposition as there was a need to abide by the rule of law.

'Never meant as a challenge'

Adnan denied that his comments was an attempt to provoke voters, adding that there was no need for him to retract the remark.

"I challenge the opposition voters to vote against BN, but BN voters, I never challenged. It was never meant as a challenge.

"The BN voters have been with us, just like the opposition voters are with the opposition," he said.

For independent voters, Adnan said they would side with the winners and the winning party is Pahang is BN.

"Pahang will remain, with the help of voters - except for opposition voters - as a BN stronghold," he said.

Yesterday, Adnan said people could cut off his ears and he would jump into the Pahang river if the BN lost the Bentong parliamentary seat.

The incumbent MP in Bentong is Liow Tiong Lai, who is both the health minister and MCA deputy president.

Adnan hails from Bentong and holds the state seat of Pelangai which is within the parliamentary constituency of Bentong.