Umno Youth vice-chief Khairul Azwan Harun has urged MCA to speak up against DAP and break out of the opposition party’s narrative of criticising Umno’s allegedly racist remarks.

In a statement, Khairul Azwan said it is “inappropriate” for MCA president Liow Tiong Lai to “overreact” and point fingers at BN leaders if his own party leaders were afraid to face-off with DAP.

“He (Liow) should not have said that MCA’s failure to secure Chinese votes during the elections is a BN problem when MCA itself is afraid to rival DAP,” he said.

Liow was responding to Khairul Azwan’s statement during Umno Youth's assembly on Wednesday, in which he warned that Chinese who voted for DAP would be further alienated from the government.

Liow in his response said BN component parties should not be blamed for Chinese voting trends and all outcomes were the result of the collective effort by all.

Khairul Azwan also expressed confidence that there were many MCA members who wished to see their leaders be brave and outspoken against their political enemies, as had been proven by Umno president and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“(The) MCA president (must) get out of the ‘comfortable thought process’ hidden behind blessings of power sharing (in BN).

“Get out of being continuously trapped by DAP’s narrative and shackled by the mental bullying of the chauvinist party,” he said.

Commenting further, Khairul Azwan said MCA should have urged Chinese voters to reflect on the message behind his speech.

“Aren’t there much evidence of how, through BN, the interests of the Chinese community are protected, for example Chinese schools...

“Even though there was a lot of pressure (to abolish), MCA was able to defend it because this is the true BN spirit.

“So don’t just desire all the 'sweet things' but when it comes to risks and to face DAP, the ‘safe route’ is taken,” Khairul Azwan cautioned.

Separately, Umno Youth exco member Shahril Hamdan also defended Khairul Azwan’s remarks against attacks from DAP’s Youth chief Wong Kah Woh.

Citing examples of alleged discrimination against Malays in Penang by the state government, Shahril claimed that Khairul Azwan had cautioned against such policies being “expanded” to other states under Pakatan Harapan’s rule.

“Hence, Khairul Azwan expresses our collective hope in Umno that more of the Chinese community would make the right electoral choice, supporting and voting a coalition that represents the original and true spirit of power-sharing, which has served this country so well over decades,” Shahril said in a statement.

Wong had urged Khairul Azwan to stop playing the racial card and levelling political threats against Chinese who support the opposition, arguing that all would suffer if Umno stays in power.