KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 – The MCA will seek a meeting with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to urge the prime minister to put a stop to street rallies as the party fears it will lead to violent confrontations. MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, in condemning the recent street rallies, the Bersih 4 on Aug 29 and Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu on Sept 16, said street rallies threatened to tear apart the fabric of the nation.
“The MCA is adamant that all mass rallies must be stopped. All this is not only putting a strain on our unity but it is also giving the nation a bad name internationally,” said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai in a statement issued after chairing the party’s Central Committee emergency meeting at Wisma MCA here on Thursday.
Referring to the Sept 16 rally, Liow, who is also transport minister, said it was obvious the rally participants intended to stoke fear and create racial tension. He noted that singling out the Chinese community and the clear animosity shown towards the community were unacceptable and could not be condoned.
“Meanwhile, the derogatory words was against the Chinese community which are made by some of the demonstrators that could not be excused. The way to forward is to return to the values of our founding fathers. The party leadership had briefed the grassroots leaders on current developments in the country, including the Bersih 4 and Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu rallies,” he said after chairing the Divisional Leaders Special Briefing Session.
“The four-hour briefing had unanimously agreed that they wanted the authorities to halt all future rallies. They also urged the government to take action on seditious remarks made by any party, especially on those who wanted Chinese schools in the country to be closed,” he added.
Liow said the party also called on all division and branch leaders to continue lending their support to the Barisan Nasional Government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. On a statement by Pasir Gudang MCA Youth that it intended to sever ties with the prime minister, Liow said the party had cautioned the said youth members to refer to the MCA’s Central Committee before making any statement.
“They have also agreed to follow what we proposed, and all statements shall be referred to us first,” said Liow. Last Sunday, the media quoted Pasir Gudang MCA Youth chief Chia Chow Hui as saying the division would sever ties with Najib, following the prime minister’s support for the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu movement, better known as the ‘Red Shirts’.
Chia had said the division’s youth members would not attend or support any of Najib’s events. Liow was also asked about the police intention to arrest the chairman of the Malay non-governmental organisation coalition, Datuk Jamal Md Yunus for threatening to hold another rally in Jalan Petaling this Saturday. To this, he replied: “We do not only want the police to take action against any party bent on holding illegal rallies and street demonstrations, but they should also be taken to court and sentenced accordingly.”
