MCA president Liow Tiong Lai addressing members at the party’s 69th anniversary celebration at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur today.
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA does not need to be taught how to “play their role”, said its president Liow Tiong Lai today.
Liow was defending the party and clearing the air when asked to comment on the party’s spat with Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz, who is from Umno.
“We have done our part, we know how to behave, how to be responsible, how to defend the party.
“We know our role and that is why I am telling Nazri to mind his language.
“What’s wrong with MCA conveying the Chinese community’s voices to Prime Minister Najib Razak?”
The transport minister also criticised Nazri, saying he should not divert the attention which has fallen on him over his statement about billionaire Robert Kuok, by attacking MCA instead.
“We are going to the right platform and we want everyone to know that this is the right way to do things,” Liow told a press conference after the party held its 69th anniversary celebration at the MCA headquarters today.
He questioned if Nazri’s comments befitted his position when he insulted Kuok, calling him a “pondan” (pansy) and even challenging the 94-year-old tycoon to contest in the 14th general election (GE14).
“Why did he have to use such words calling a 94-year-old man ‘pondan’? Do you agree with such words?” Liow asked.
He added that Nazri should focus on the crux of the problem and go back to the issues.
“It doesn’t matter what Nazri calls us. What I’m urging is for him to go back to the issues,” said Liow without elaborating.
Nazri’s remarks followed allegations by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that Kuok funded DAP in a bid to overthrow the Barisan Nasional government and replace it with a Chinese-led administration.
Kuok has since denied the allegations and said he reserved the right to sue the blogger.
When asked about the “colluders within BN” in his speech earlier, Liow said he did not want to mention names.
“MCA needs to work very hard. We are facing a very hard election. DAP is talking about destroying MCA, in their words ‘exterminate’ MCA.
“Whether we are weak or strong, we have never had any intention to exterminate anybody,” Liow said, alluding to DAP being a party that has turned arrogant after becoming stronger.
He added that the long-standing feud between MCA and Nazri in the past should be left as things that have passed.
The bad blood between Nazri and MCA is believed to have begun during the time Dr Chua Soi Lek helmed the Chinese-based party, and the two feuded with each other in the Chinese media just before GE13.
The quarrel led to MCA’s Padang Rengas division imposing a boycott of Nazri.
When asked if Liow was aware of any “communication” between Seremban MP Anthony Loke and Nazri to incite a boycott against MCA, Liow said whether DAP cooperated or not with Nazri was a separate issue.
“DAP doesn’t even dare raise Chinese community issues with Nazri. They are good friends.
“So, why doesn’t Loke and Lim Guan Eng speak about Chinese community issues with Nazri?”
Earlier, MCA Youth and Wanita MCA held a protest at the MCA headquarters foyer, demanding Nazri apologise to the Chinese people.
The group of 30 protestors were seen chanting, “undur Nazri” (step down Nazri).
MCA Youth secretary-general Leong Kim Soon said the protest was held to express the anger of the party’s grassroots members.
Nazri has admitted that the MCA division in his constituency of Padang Rengas had boycotted him since the 2013 general election.
In an interview with China Press, the Padang Rengas MP said he believed the MCA division would continue the boycott since they had not issued any statement about ending it. -FMT
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