KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) has been urged to take action against Datuk Seri Mohamad Nazri Aziz for allegedly jeopardising the long-held close-knit relations between Umno, MCA and MIC.
MCA secretary-general Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun in saying this, pointed out that failure to take any action against the BN secretary-general would further undermine the coalition, internally and externally.
"Nazri cannot be allowed to escape from being sacked from his position in BN," she said in a statement today.
Nazri has been on the receiving end of criticism from various quarters recently over his alleged racial remarks made during his ceramah in Semenyih.
The Padang Rengas Member of Parliament's remarks included an alleged call for the closure of Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools as well as on the appointment of the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General and Finance Minister from among non-Malays.
Nazri was also quoted as saying that the death of a Fire and Rescue Department personnel Muhammed Adib Mohd Kassim was not championed because the Attorney-General was not a Malay.
Chew said MCA was forced to respond to Nazri's statement which is considered “rude, ego-filled and immature”.
"Besides perception games and political rhetorics stirred up by Pakatan Harapan which were the driving causes leading to the BN government’s exit for the first time in 60 years, other factors which contributed towards showing BN the door are its leaders who are proud, rude, arrogant and always lulled by 'syok sendiri'," said the former Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.
Chew described the former Tourism Minister as a loose canon for his numerous disparaging remarks.
"On his assault on vernacular education, since when had BN practised a policy to abolish SJKC and SJKT? Was not the Education Act 1961 amended during the era of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, whereby Section 21 (2) was abolished and the status of SJKC and SJKT were guaranteed under the Education Act 1996?"
Chew said Nazri epitomised the saying where "one rotten apple certainly spoils the whole barrel".
"Due to Nazri’s statement which reeks of racism, provocation and is irresponsible, it is us in BN who are hit.
"It is pointless to ask why the majority of Malaysian citizens no longer support BN, or why BN must be overhauled, reformed, or even dissolved when the good name of BN has been contaminated by leaders who are racist, extremist and egoistical, like Nazri Aziz," she said.
Touching on Nazri demanding for MCA to make its position clear in regards to its membership in the BN, Chew questioned as to whether Nazri had forgotten the history behind the formation of the Alliance Party, which subsequently morphed into the BN.
"Has Nazri forgotten ? BN was originally the Alliance Party which was established together by Umno, MCA and MIC. Other component parties came on board with a common direction in our fight when BN was formed in 1974.
"BN is not solely owned by Umno alone nor is Nazri the sole absolute owner of BN. BN on the other hand is collectively owned by all of us who have mutual respect and love for one another in the name of the BN Spirit," said the former two term Petaling Jaya Utara member of Parliament.
"Irrespective of whether MCA will continue to cooperate with Umno in the spirit of solidarity as an Opposition, or no longer joins BN in the manner of a 'coalition' but retains our close-knit friendship ties between Umno, MCA and MIC; or remain in BN (status quo), this matter will be detailed and discussed in depth and finalised at the BN Supreme Council level," Chew said.