The storm over a DAP public speaker's criticism of corrupt journalists has taken a new twist, with MCA Youth taking his words a bit too literally.

DAP's Hew Kuan Yau, an academician who is a regular fixture in the Mandarin anti-BN ceramah circuit, was recently forced to apologise for his Facebook posting, in which he referred to journalists as "Enjo-kosai", a Japanese term for "compensated dating".

According to Wikipedia , "compensated dating" is a practice which originated in Japan where older men give money and/or luxury gifts to attractive women for their companionship and, possibly, for sexual favours. The female participants range from primarily school-aged girls to housewives. A common misconception is that enjo-kōsai always involves some form of sexual activity."

NONE Hew's Facebook posting had used the term to describe journalists who moonlighted as writers for politicians.

In a statement today, MCA Youth deputy chief Dr Mah Hang Soon honed in on his nemesis Ngeh Khoo Ham for coming to Hew's ( left ) defence. Ngeh had said that Hew was referring to only a few journalists.

"Please be precise, Ngeh. Are you openly implying that there are reporters in the flesh trade? If so, care and dare you identify which ones?

"What authority has been bestowed to you that you may cast aspersions against journalists by categorising the ones whom DAP does not favour as being involved in vice?" asked Mah.

Astonished by silence from DAP's women

Mah said Hew's Facebook posting had exposed the hypocrisy of the DAP, which had claimed that it was championing press freedom.

NONE "I urge Ngeh to emphatise with the press corps, who in the course of performing their duties to earn an honest living, have to endure the bigotry and insults DAP hurls at them," he said.

Mah ( right ) said he was also "astonished" that DAP elected representatives such as Fong Poh Kuang (Batu Gajah), Chong Eng (Bukit Mertajam) and Teo Nie Ching (Serdang) have not rebuked Hew.

"Does 'dignified' silence imply acceptance of Hew's insults?" he asked.

Despite not having any official position in the DAP, Hew has been a thorn on the MCA's side in recent months.

He came to prominence during the Sarawak state election, where he adopted the "Superman" moniker and became a popular ceramah speaker.

Following this, Hew brought his antics back to the peninsula where MCA, in particular its president Dr Chua Soi Lek, became his biggest target.