Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman today warned the Chinese minority in Malaysia that they could be 'slapped' if they took their grouses outside of the country.

"I want to warn the Chinese Malaysians, don't think when you have a problem, you want to complain - just a little bit also complain - that there will be people to protect them.

" Nak kena lempang macam itu (Get a slap, if like that)," quipped Tajuddin at a press conference after officiating an exhibition in Kuala Lumpur today.

The Umno supreme council member called on Chinese Malaysians to stop "fantasising" that external powers would defend them.

"Chinese people in Malaysia, don't fantasise that there will be a big boss coming, that there will be a godfather coming from China to help you.

"Don't fantasise like that," Tajuddin stressed.

The Pasir Salak MP said the visit of China's Ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang to Petaling Street on Sept 25 was just to protect tourists from China who visit Malaysia.

"When he said ‘protecting his people’, he doesn't mean Chinese Malaysians. Why should he interfere? I would also get angry if he interfered.

"The Chinese ambassador said his statement was misconstrued, that he had no intention of interfering with our domestic affairs, no intention of defending the Chinese here," Tajuddin added.

Yesterday, Huang said his visit to Petaling Street last Friday should not be made into an anti-Malaysian government issue.

The ambassador insisted that his visit was to show solidarity with the locals and to find out if there were safety concerns before deciding to issue a travel advisory notice to tourists from China.

However, Tajuddin later denied he meant all Chinese, and was only referring to “DAP Chinese” and requested Malaysiakini to make the necessary amendments to the report.

An audio recording of the press conference revealed that the Umno minister made no reference to “DAP Chinese” and had said “Cina-Cina Malaysia (Chinese Malaysians)” before breaking into laughter.