Malays are unhappy? So are the Chinese, MCA says
(Malay Mail Online) – The Pasir Gudang MCA Youth’s decision to sever ties with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was a manifestation of the Chinese community’s dissatisfaction over the myriad problems plaguing the country, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said today.
Liow said the division’s wing had acted on its own to protest incidents during last week’s Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu or United People’s Rally, though he did not indicate whether the party’s leadership was for or against the wing’s statement on Monday.
“The Chinese are not satisfied with the nation’s situation, and the Pasir Gudang (MCA) Youth showed their dissatisfaction over the 916 rally because it was not a peaceful one,” the MCA president said, referring to the date of the pro-Malay rally.
“We have discussed this, and the central committee reiterates our position in BN (Barisan Nasional) that MCA is a veteran member and we have to defend and protect the mechanism of multiracial collaboration,” Liow added at a news conference after chairing the party’s central committee meeting here.
On Monday, MCA Pasir Gudang youth chief Cia Cow Hui sparked controversy when he announced that his wing was severing ties with Najib over the latter’s expressed support for the rally, which also went by the social media hashtag #Merah169.
Cia’s outburst earned rebuke from several Umno leaders, who told MCA to leave the ruling BN coalition if they were unhappy.
Liow today avoided taking a clear stance on whether Cia will face censure for his remarks, saying only that solutions are needed for racial problems in the country which he said are “getting worse”.
“MCA’s central committee decided our policy decisions have to be done through party channels. The case of Pasir Gudang youth has come to an end,” he said.
Thousands of red shirted people were bussed into the federal capital on September 16 that caused concern among traders in the city centre and ethnic Chinese business leaders.
Racially-tinged messages during the rally drew condemnation from non-Malay parties both from BN and the federal opposition, which lodged several reports over banners calling for the abolition of Chinese vernacular schools and carrying the phrase “Cina babi”, among others.
The rally, said to be in support of Najib’s leadership, was to counter last month’s mammoth two-day Bersih 4 gathering calling for the prime minister’s resignation.
During an event held by rally organisers Pesaka last week, Najib defended the protest as being peaceful and called it the result of alleged insults to the Malay community.
