A group within MCA is disappointed with its leadership for letting minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob ( below ) off the hook over his controversial remark calling on Malays to boycott certain segments of the Chinese business community.

 

The group, calling themselves the ‘MCA Grassroots' Conscience Committee’, insisted that MCA instead continue to pursue the matter until the minister apologises sufficiently for his comment made in early February.

“The party had vowed to hold Ismail Sabri responsible. In the beginning it was fierce as a tiger but now the issue is ending poorly,” said the committee in a statement yesterday.

 

The racist remark made by Ismail had angered the Chinese business community, NGOs, as well as the public with MCA responding strongly to the issue initially.

The agriculture and agro-based minister finally expressed 'regret' last Friday in a statement which MCA president Liow Tiong Lai said he accepted. Liow added he hoped the matter would put to rest and urged all parties to move on.

 

'Party will lose confidence'

However the MCS Grassroots' Conscience Committee felt that Ismail Sabri did not do enough nor was he direct enough in his statement. 'Apology or not, I don't want to answer,' Ismail had said.

 

“If MCA gives up halfway before the minister apologises, it will not only lose the public and the confidence of the grassroots but the party will not be able gather enough strength for its revival,” warned the committee.

 

“MCA Youth chairman Chong Sin Woon ( right ) had stood firmly against the minister but he was not backed by his party,” said Yap Ah Seng, the founder of the committee.

He opined that MCA should not take the matter lightly as the people will remember Ismail Sabri’s hurtful remark and unleash their anger and disappointment through the ballot box.

 

"Any rude and extreme remark by a high-ranking officer can bring great harm. The people will keep their anger to themselves and unleash their anger with their ballots," he cautioned.

“Even if the government has performed well, it won’t matter then,” he said.