MCA, Gerakan lash out at Zahid and Ali

PETALING JAYA: Chinese-based Barisan Nasional component parties are up in arms with two Umno leaders for making unwanted statements in the run-up to the Umno polls middle of this month. MCA vice president Gan Ping Sieu aimed his guns on Umno vice president candidate and former Malacca chief minister Ali Rustam for saying that the Chinese were involved in all ‘illegal business’ in the country.

“He is just trying to gain popularity in the party in view of the election. This is not the right way to campaign. Tell your voters what you have done and intend to do…not run down another race just to be popular and win the election,” he told FMT when contacted.


Yesterday, Ali at an event organised by Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) said the Chinese were involved in casinos, 4D gambling, lottery, massage parlours and illegal money lending. Ali was recently appointed chairman of PUNB, a government entrepreneur development corporation with the aim to establishing bumiputera business owners.

He was sworn in as a senator yesterday.

“Such party election campaigning approach not only threatens the cohesion of the Barisan Nasional but also damages the social fabric of our nation,” said Gan. “Ali Rustam contested in a Malay majority seat.

He should know his own problems. His voters don’t owe him a living. He should do some soul searching rather than pointing fingers all over. He has just made himself an icon of a sore loser,” he said referring to Ali’s defeat in Bukit Katil parliamentary seat in the May general election.

Following the defeat, Ali had blamed the Chinese voters of backstabbing him. “MCA suffered massive electoral defeat too, but blaming electorate over one’s defeat is the darnest thing a politician can do.

One should look into the underlying causes of the defeat,” said Gan. “Having said that, MCA will not fall into the drama played out by these leaders. All they want is to be a hero for a couple of weeks,” he added.

Stop the racial slurs

Kedah Gerakan chief Tan Keng Liang meanwhile called on Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to retract his statement calling the Chinese the biggest drug dealers and internet gambling den operators if he fails to prove it.

He said BN should take disciplinary action against Zahid for making the statement that could stir racial tension. On Saturday at a closed-door security briefing ceremony with community leaders in Malacca, the Home Minister alleged that the Chinese are the biggest drug distributors, internet gambling den operators and vice operators.

“It is against the spirit of Barisan Nasional, as the minister needs to bear in mind that he speaks for all Malaysians and not for one particular race,” he said. MCA deputy president and Bentong MP Liow Tiong Lai also urged the Home Minister to stop spreading unfounded racial statements that will create discomfort among other races.

He advised Zahid to be more objective and focused rather than throwing racial slurs. -