Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's "regret" over his call for a boycott of Chinese businesses was meaningless until he apologised, the DAP told Chinese Barisan Nasional-component party MCA.DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's move to accept it only encouraged Umno leaders to continue perpetuating racist and extremist views.
"Ismail did not apologise for his statement. There was no remorse expressed by Ismail to the Chinese community for hurting them with lies.
"How can Liow accept this when Ismail had maligned the Chinese of oppressing the Malays and that Chinese traders are to be blamed for not reducing prices?
"It is sad that Liow has meekly accepted Ismail’s illogical rationale that appears to justify his attacks against the Chinese," Lim said in a statement.
Ismail, who is the agriculture and agro-based industries minister, on Facebook called for Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses in a move to fight profiteering.
English-language daily The Star today reported that Ismail regretted calling for a boycott.
He was quoted as saying that he did not intended to create any racial tension as his remarks were targeted at traders who did not want to lower prices of goods, irrespective of race.
"My comments have gone viral. I regret the statement has led to racial sentiments," he said.
Lim said this showed that Ismail was not remorseful for the Facebook posts.
"This general clarification does not amount to retracting or apologising to the Chinese," he added.
Lim also criticised Liow who accepted the Ismail's expression of regret and urged everyone to move on.
In a separate report by The Star, Liow said: "As my colleague, Datuk Seri Ismail has officially issued a statement of regret, and as a member of the Cabinet, I take note of his statement of regret and hope that this matter is put to rest and we shall move on".
Lim said Liow had let down the Chinese by accepting Ismail's regret without a retraction or an apology. – February 13, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/mca-should-not-accept-ismail-sabris-regret-says-dap#sthash.1PhUDRM1.dpuf
No comments:
Post a Comment