DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng has asked MCA not to bow down to UMNO but listen to outgoing Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s advice that whoever succeeds him must strive to keep Umno and its brand of racially divisive politics out of the state.
This followed MCA deputy president Datuk Wee Ka Siong’s call to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok to apologise over the latter’s Chinese New Year (CNY) video clip.
The CNY YouTube video featuring MP Teresa Kok had poked fun at issues such as the Malaysian education system, the rising cost of living and pubic safety.
“DAP does not need MCA to give such advice but will ask Teresa Kok to apologise if she indeed had poked fun at the Sulu terrorist intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah, last year. However nothing was mentioned in the video clip about the Sulu incident”, said Guan Eng.
He also added that if the UMNO racists and MCA apologists had watched the video clip, they would know that it was directed at the Taiwanese tourists kidnap – murder in Sabah.
On 6 February a group of Muslim NGOs held a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur during which a chicken was slaughtered and its blood smeared on a banner depicting the faces of several DAP leaders. The Muslim NGOs offered a reward of RM 1200 to anyone who would slap Teresa Kok for supposedly insulting Malay Leadership, Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam in the CNY video. According to group leader Zulkifli Sharif, The blood smearing ritual was a reminder of the May 13, 1969 racial riots.
Instead of attempting to take any action against the group, MCA’s national complaints bureau chief Jason Teoh has expressed that as a Chinese, he was embarrassed by the video and has asked Teresa Kok to apologize to the nation for painting a negative image of the country.
Guan Eng pointed out that both UMNO and MCA have distorted the message of the video by racialising the issue to divide Malaysians so that they can divert attention from the price hikes by BN on petrol, sugar, TNB power tariffs and motor insurance premiums and also the drop in the value of Malaysian ringgit as seen by the record low of RM 2.62 to each Singapore dollar. -The Rocket
