In 2001, Federation of Chinese Guilds and Associations chairperson Liew Poon Siak organised a controversial tea-serving ceremonyfor the then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
It was reported that the premium tea leaves cost a whopping RM2,500 per kilo at the time.
The event organised with the assistance from Mahathir's former political aide Mathias Chang, drew flak from various quarters, including MCA and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
MCA had criticised the organisers for dressing up two school children like Manchurians with pigtails to serve Mahathir the cup of tea.
There were also reports claiming the school children and Liew had knelt down before Mahathir when serving the tea.
"Keeping pigtails is not our culture. Chinese men kept pigtails then because they were forced to do so after the Manchurians conquered their country," said MCA.
Whereas, Lim described the ceremony as “redolent with psychological feudalism."
Now with Mahathir having returned as prime minister, Liew is reportedly making plans for a mass gathering to celebrate the veteran leader's 93rd birthday on July 23.
According to Sin Chew Daily, Liew and Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall (KLCAH) president Chai Kee Kan had met Mahathir and received the green light to organise the gathering.
KLCAH is a splinter group of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. KLCAH was formed by Liew in 2003.
This also became a controversial issue due to claims that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) had expedited KLCAH's registration before Mahathir retired as prime minister.
The Sin Chew Daily report stated that Mahathir was “looking forward to celebrating his birthday with the Chinese community.”
The event would be co-organised by three other Chinese associations.
Malaysiakini is checking with the Prime Minister's Office to confirm the Sin Chew report. -Mkini
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