Donald Trump courts trouble again: 5 other controversial politicians

(THESTRAITTIMES)DonaldTrump,the69-year-oldUSRepublicanpresidentialfrontrunner,isnostrangertocontroversy.ButthistimehiscommentscallingforabanonMuslimsenteringtheUnitedStateshavebackfiredspectacularly.

FromtheWhiteHousetootherworldleaderstoevenauthorJ.K.Rowling,arisingnumberofvoiceshavefiercelycriticisedthereal-estatemogulforhisinflammatoryremarks.

Here'salookatsomeotherpoliticianswhohavealsosparkedcontroversywiththeirremarks:

1.PAULINEHANSON

TheAustralianpolitician,whoheadstheeponymousandright-wingPaulineHanson'sOneNationparty,rosetoprominencein1996wheninhermaidenspeechtoParliamentshesaidthecountrywasbeingswampedbyAsiansandthat"mainstreamAustralians"weresubjecttoreverseracism.

Earlierthisyear,theformerMPhittheheadlineswhensheclaimedhalalfoodinAustraliawasfundingIslamicterroristorganisationsliketheMuslimBrotherhood.

Callinghalalcertificationinthecountrya"profit,money-makingracket",the61-year-oldsaid:"AlotofAustralianshaveanissuewithpayingtaxforitwhen98percentofthemarenotMuslim."

2.MARINELEPEN

ThepresidentofFrance'sfar-right,anti-immigrantNationalFrontpoliticalpartywentontrialinOctoberonchargesofincitingracialhatredincommentsmadefiveyearsagoduringcampaigning.

MsMarineLePen,47,hadcomparedMuslimsprayinginthestreetstoNazioccupation.AjudgmentisdueonDec15.

Ontopofherlegalwoes-thelawyerbyprofessionisalsofacingchargesofherpartyconspiringinfraudduringthe2012parliamentarypolls-sheisinvolvedinafeudovertheNationalFront'slong-termdirectionwithherestrangedfatherJean-MarieLePen.

TheseniorLePen,whofoundedthepartyin1972,pulledoutofregionalelectionsthisyearafterapublicspatwithhisdaughterwhereherepeatedhisclaimsthatNazigaschamberswerea"detailofhistory".Hisdaughterhasbeentryingtochangetheimageofthepartyfromitsracistandanti-Semiticpast.Hehasalsobeenconvictedinthepastformakinganti-Semiticcomments.

3.GEERTWILDERS

ThelocalmediahasaratheraptdescriptionforMrWilders,theleaderoftheanti-immigrantPartyofFreedom,apoliticalpartyintheDutchparliament."Whereverhegoes,acircusfollows,"saidonereporter.

BestknownforhiscriticismofIslam,the52-year-oldtriggeredprotestsinOctoberwhenhetravelledtoPerthtolaunchtheAustralianLibertyAlliance(ALA),ananti-Islampoliticalparty.

HehadpreviouslylabelledIslam"retarded",calledtheProphetMohammadapaedophileandlikenedtheQurantotheMeinKampf,anautobiographicalmanifestobyGermany'sAldofHitler.

4.JUSUFKALLA

TheIndonesianvice-presidentcreatedastirwhenhesaidneighbouringcountriessuchasSingaporeandMalaysiashouldnotcomplainaboutthehazecausedbyforestfiresinSumatraandKalimantan.

"For11months,theyenjoyedniceairfromIndonesiaandtheyneverthankedus,"the73-year-oldsaidearlierthisyear."Theyhavesufferedbecauseofthehazeforonemonthandtheygetupset."

Inresponse,somenetizenssetupawebsitenamed"ThankYouIndonesiafor11monthsofcleanair",whichreferencedtheunpopularcommentsmadebyMrKallaandwherevisitorsclickedonabuttonto"thank"Indonesia.

AttheAsia-PacificEconomicCooperation(Apec)CEOsummitlastmonth,MrKallareiteratedhiscomments."Tenmonthseveryyear,thegoodweathergoestoourneighbours.Youenjoyedit,wedidnotaskyoutopayforit.Butifthere'ssomebadproblem,itisourproblemtotheregiontoo."

Healsoblamedthewindforthehazeblanketingtheregion:"I'msosorrytoMalaysiaandSingaporetosaythatwecannotcontrolthewind.Wedon'twantthehazetogoeverywhere.(Ithappened)notbecausewewantitto(affect)ourneighbours,butbecauseofthewind,"hesaid.

5.BORISJOHNSON

MrJohnson,51,hascommittedmanyafauxpaswithhisinappropriateandill-timedremarks.AtagayrightseventinJune2013,theMayorofLondonsparkedfuryandcausedgueststowalkoutinprotestbymakingacrudejokeaboutsame-sexmarriage.

"I'mdelightedthatasofthisautumnanyyoungmanwillbeabletotakehischumuptheArsenal...andmarryhim,"hehadsaidthen.

Inanothermemorablegaffe,heseemedtosuggestwomengotouniversitybecausetheywanttogetmarried.

ItwascommittedduringapaneldebatewithMalaysianPrimeMinisterNajibRazakinJuly2013,whenMrNajibsaidthat68percentofuniversitystudentsinMalaysiawerewomen.

MrJohnson'sresponse?"They'vegottofindmentomarry."