MCA has dismissed claims that it steered clear of the Bukit Gelugor by-election because of fear, stressing that it is not even afraid of Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, let alone a political debutante like Ramkarpal Singh.
Contrary to its detractors' accusations, party vice-president Chew Mei Fun said it was not a "cowardly" act but rather a "strategy".
The Penang MCA liaison committee chairperson said the party had earlier faced heavyweights like Anwar and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
"If we are not afraid of Anwar and Wan Azizah, why should we be afraid of Ramkarpal? (left)" Chew told a press conference at Wisma MCA today.
However, Chew, who was defeated by Wan Azizah in the Kajang by-election, said the decision to refrain from contesting in Bukit Gelugor was "painful".
MCA had then claimed that it wanted to concentrate its efforts on the controversy surrounding the hudud law proposed by PAS.
Critics, including former president Dr Chua Soi Lek, criticised the party over the move, with some claiming that it feared a trouncing.
The parliament seat had fallen vacant following the death of Ramkarpal’s father, Karpal Singh in a road accident on April 17.
In the last general election, Karpal, who was known as the "Tiger of Jelutong", had obliterated his MCA opponent with a vote-majority of more than 40,000.
Ramkarpal had retained his father's seat for DAP after defeating Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) vice-president Huan Cheng Guan and two Independent candidates on May 25.
MCA was also compared to Gerakan, which despite facing an uphill battle in the Teluk Intan by-election, managed to stage an upset and win the seat on May 31 with a slim majority of 238 votes.
Contrary to its detractors' accusations, party vice-president Chew Mei Fun said it was not a "cowardly" act but rather a "strategy".
The Penang MCA liaison committee chairperson said the party had earlier faced heavyweights like Anwar and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
"If we are not afraid of Anwar and Wan Azizah, why should we be afraid of Ramkarpal? (left)" Chew told a press conference at Wisma MCA today.However, Chew, who was defeated by Wan Azizah in the Kajang by-election, said the decision to refrain from contesting in Bukit Gelugor was "painful".
MCA had then claimed that it wanted to concentrate its efforts on the controversy surrounding the hudud law proposed by PAS.
Critics, including former president Dr Chua Soi Lek, criticised the party over the move, with some claiming that it feared a trouncing.
The parliament seat had fallen vacant following the death of Ramkarpal’s father, Karpal Singh in a road accident on April 17.
In the last general election, Karpal, who was known as the "Tiger of Jelutong", had obliterated his MCA opponent with a vote-majority of more than 40,000.
Ramkarpal had retained his father's seat for DAP after defeating Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) vice-president Huan Cheng Guan and two Independent candidates on May 25.
MCA was also compared to Gerakan, which despite facing an uphill battle in the Teluk Intan by-election, managed to stage an upset and win the seat on May 31 with a slim majority of 238 votes.
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