PETALING JAYA: Those who criticised MCA for not going to campaign for DAP in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, are reminded that it was the latter which first insulted the party, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The MCA president said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke had recently expressed his dislike for MCA while dubbing it a "party towkay" (party of business owners or bosses) that did not prioritise the Chinese community.

"The DAP secretary-general has openly cursed and insulted MCA, my party. As MCA president, am I supposed to keep quiet? I need to defend my party’s pride.

"After all the battering, curses and insults to MCA, now they (the critics) want MCA to help DAP campaign?" he asked in a video posted on his Facebook on Monday (April 22).

"Enough, let MCA be clear, we are no hypocrites," he added in his response to critics against MCA's decision of not campaigning in the by-election, scheduled on May 11, to help the unity government secure victory.

Dr Wee's video includes snippets of Loke's statement that he "did not like MCA" in an April 5, interview on the Keluar Sekejap podcast hosted by former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former Umno information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan.

He also reminded his partners in Barisan Nasional of DAP’s past comments that insinuated MCA was working in cahoots with "bandits".

MCA was also accused of being traitors to the Chinese community for not recognising the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) or abolishing the public varsity quota system, he said.

"Don’t forget, it is his (Loke’s) party that is contesting in MCA’s (traditional) constituency.

"When they fought against us in the past, they used to say that we were in cahoots with bandits. We were declared the traitors of the Chinese community for not recognising the UEC and not abolishing the quota system.

"Even now, they continue to curse and insult my party. Am I supposed to stay patient about this? If this happened to your party, how would you feel? Think about it," he said.

The Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong from DAP on March 21.

On April 19, MCA announced its decision to not campaign for any non-Barisan candidate.

Soon after, its Youth chairman Ling Tian Soon also said that the wing would adhere to the collective decision reached by the party’s political development bureau.

Explaining its stance, party secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon said it was “not a simple decision” and that the decision was reached after reviewing all factors including feedback from the party grassroots.

Nomination for the Kuala Kubu Baharu seat is fixed on April 27 while early polling is set on May 7, and polling day on May 11.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/23/it-is-dap-that-insulted-mca-first-says-dr-wee