KUALA LUMPUR: Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has yet to give his statement to the police and will cooperate fully on the boycott issue.
On Monday, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said on his Twitter that the police would call Ismail to record his statement on the boycott issue.
Ismail, who met some 100 former Umno Youth members said he has not been called by the police to record his statement.
"I checked Twitter about the police calling me to record my statement on this issue, so I will cooperate fully.
"I don't know their (police) procedure but will submit all my statements, so it's up to the police. They have a responsibility to do, so I have no problem.
"A suitable date has not been fixed by the police. We have to wait for the right time, if I have a cabinet meeting or other things, so it has to be coordinated," Ismail said after meeting his supporters at the Riverside Cafe in Putra World Trade Centre, here.
Ismail said he was surprised to see so many supporters had come and appreciated their support towards him during such time.
"I was told that it was merely a gathering between former Umno Youth members for tea time," he said.
On MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon critical response to his statement on the boycott call, Ismail said that he had no issues with the party but was disappointed by their statement against him.
"MCA shouldn't be in line with DAP on this issue. In Barisan Nasional, we have certain principals on how we address issues, MCA shouldn't have brought it out publicly.
"Since I believe in the BN's principal, I haven't reacted towards MCA. Our boss is the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has reminded us not to bicker in public.
"I respect the PM so I won't be making any statement on this issue," he said.
Meanwhile, a representative of Ismail's supporters Datuk Zulkifli Alwi said that the minister's statement was not racially tinged.
Zulkifli said Ismail's statement was a general reference reflecting the reality of the situation.
"Ismail isn't the kind of person that would want to harm the harmony of the people in the country. He has worked for everyone regardless of race and creed.
"His statement was a reaction to an earlier posting on his Facebook, not something out of the blue.
"As former members of Umno Youth we are angry towards the statement made by MCA on this issue, which is seen as out of the line, rude and stupid," Zulkifli said.
He added that MCA should remember the political survival of the party relied on Umno.
Early this week Ismail had called out the majority Malay consumers on his Facebook to boycott Chinese traders and businesses, who did not bring down the price of goods after the decline in oil prices.
His posting came under fire and went viral for targeting the Chinese community in Malaysia.
The posting has been taken down by Ismail since the issue became heated on social media.