MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek today denied that he met suspended radio DJ Jamaluddin Ibrahim five times, as claimed by online news portal Merdeka Review.

He added that he had only met the MCA-owned station Radio 988 disc jockey once on May 3, upon Jamaluddin's request.

NONE"Such meetings with journalists, whether print or electronic, are part of my duty as the party president," he said.

Following Chua's statement this afternoon, Merdeka Review has since issued an apology over the erroneous report.

The host of the widely followed radio talk show Hi Malaysia was axed after the management received a letter from the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

The letter states that Jamaluddin (right) and the talk show are suspected of "threatening national security" and "compromising race relations".

Radio 988 chief executive officer Wong Lai Ngo and senior programme manager Tan Chia Yong were also suspended yesterday evening by the station's immediate owner, Star RFM Sdn Bhd.

'MCA will not intevene'

In denying claims of political interference, Chua said neither he nor the MCA had any hand in the suspensions and that they were management decisions.

"The MCA is not responsible for the decision on Jamaluddin. I reiterate that the MCA will not intervene in the case and that the matter will be fully handed by the management.

chua soi lek mca penang agm 010810"The new MCA leadership would not interfere in the operations and management of (the newspaper) the Star and the 988 radio station," Chua (left) said.

In terms of the Star, he added, the party was fully aware that Star Publications (M) Bhd is a public-listed company and that the responsibility for it rested with the shareholders.

"I also believe that media groups should not be used or abused for any individual agenda," he said.

Speaking to the press after a meeting with MCMC, Star RFM chairperson Linda Ngiam absolved MCA of any guilt and said the suspensions were a "management problem".

However, she said, the current affairs programme which receives call-ins from listeners will cease to receive calls and will be helmed by different deejays.