Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, in his first remarks on the issue, yesterday said the Cabinet was willing to accept the apology of 24-year-old Wee Meng Chee but he would still have to face the law if an offence was committed.

Datuk Seri Abdullah made his comments as de-facto law minister Nazri Aziz said the Cabinet was not in a position to forgive Mr Wee because 'the offence was not against the Prime Minister or ministers concerned but against the nation'.

It is unclear if the student would face a charge of sedition, which carries a maximum jail term of three years, or one of being disrespectful of the national anthem, with a jail term of up to one month.

The Premier said the issue was discussed during the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He said: 'He (Mr Wee) said he wants to apologise, we can accept. But if it is an offence, how to let him go without him being punished? The law has to take its course.'

Mr Wee, a communications student at Taiwan's Ming Chuan University, apologised on Tuesday for the second time in as many weeks and removed the video from his blog.

The clip, titled Negarakuku, a play on the national anthem Negaraku (My Country), can still be viewed on YouTube.

Datuk Seri Nazri told reporters: 'If he had committed an offence, which I think it was, then we must allow the Attorney-General to investigate.'

Asked how Mr Wee has insulted the anthem, he said: 'Malaysia Negarakuku. 'Kuku' can also mean 'cuckoo'. I don't think this was done out of ignorance. He was a university student and he meant to insult the national song.'

In the clip, Mr Wee raps about discrimination against the Chinese, corrupt cops and indolent civil servants, most of whom are Malay.

He does so against the backdrop of a Malaysian flag, with the Negaraku melody playing.

Since the video was posted, several Umno and government leaders, including Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow, have warned Mr Wee of a possible sedition probe.

Datuk Seri Nazri said: 'In Britain, you can insult the Queen or the flag...but in this country we have laws and we cannot create a precedent where you commit an offence, apologise and get away with it.

'It is not an issue of ethnicity or being racial but against national interest.'

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK