MCA should ban members from patronising Perkasa’s events to oppose the latter’s “racist” agenda of reducing non-Malays to second or third class citizens, said the DAP today.

pakatan pokok sena ceramah 140112 lim guan eng In a statement, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said it was wrong for any Malaysian to lend legitimacy to Perkasa.

“Unlike MCA, (the) DAP will not permit any member to attend Perkasa functions but will take disciplinary action against any DAP member caught doing so,” he warned.

This is the second day in a row in which Lim has challenged MCA to impose the ban.

Yesterday, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek refused to comment on Lim’s call for a ban and instead attacked his alleged poor performance as Penang chief minister.

MCA’s ties with Perkasa came under the microscope when its Sri Desa branch chairperson Dr Collin Tiew was spotted at a Chinese New Year event hosted by Perkasa.

During the event, Tiew had gone on stage to translate Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali’s speech, joined in a press conference with Perkasa leaders and accompanied them in distributing money in white envelopes.

The white envelopes are considered taboo because they are reserved for funerals.

White envelopes with BN logo

Lim said that at every Chinese New Year event he has attended, the public have expressed outrage over the white envelope blunder.

NONE “There is also disappointment at Prime Minister Najib’s refusal to condemn Perkasa and Najib’s light dismissal of this gross insult as a ‘social experience’,” he said.

Lim speculates that Najib’s refusal to admonish Perkasa is partly due to Selangor BN distributing similar white envelopes with the BN logo at a Chinese New Year event in Seri Setia.

“Kelana Jaya MCA division chief Ong Chong Swen has not denied that white envelopes with BN logos were distributed during the BN Chinese New Year event.

“If that is the case, then BN should immediately apologise to the Chinese community and stop such wrong practices,” he said.

In contrast, Lim pointed out that PAS had displayed openness in respecting the Chinese community by distributing not only ang pow, mandarin oranges and Chinese New Year cards to market traders but also to a pork seller, with his pork openly displayed.

“Has any Umno leader done what PAS leaders have done?” asked Lim.