Incensed over MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon's attack against cabinet minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, a group of former Umno Youth leaders today urged BN to reconsider MCA's role in cabinet.

Chong's remark that Ismail Sabri is unfit to be minister for urging Malays to boycott Chinese traders is out of line, said former Umno Youth secretary Zulkefli Alwi who was flanked by at least 30 Umno men at a press conference at PWTC today.

"The appointment of ministers is the sole right of the prime minister. What right does the MCA Youth chief have to dispute this?

"Instead, MCA's poor contribution as BN component party should be reviewed.

"We urge BN leaders to prioritise cabinet seats for component parties who are loyal and contributed to BN's victory in the last general election," he said.

 

Asked if this also applies to Gerakan, he said all parties who did not contribute much to BN should face the same fate.

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang ( right ) had called Ismail Sabri, a former Umno Youth chief, an "imbecile" who scored an "own goal for BN" for that remark.

Zulkefli added MCA had showed it's "real face" in this episode and is growing "more chauvinist than opposition parties".

'Ismail's no racist'

Zulkefli, who sat in front of supporters holding the placard reading 'We Are All Ismail Sabri' reiterated that the minister was speaking against profiteering in general "for the benefit of all".

"He was urging consumers to use their power to bring down prices of goods and services, which will benefit all especially now with our Chinese brothers celebrating Chinese New Year soon," he said.

He, however, sidestepped a question  on the singling out of Chinese traders instead of calling for boycott on all profiteering businesses.

"If you know Ismail Sabri ( right ) like we do you would know he is not a chauvinist or racist as charged but is someone extremely concerned about the plight of the common man," he replied.

The agriculture and agro-based industries minister's statement also has no racial slant, he said, and was taken out of context.

He said Umno would never do anything to undermine national harmony and that the posting did not agitate interracial animosity.

"He was reacting to an earlier posting made so it should be seen in that context.

"That statement was not out of the blue," he said.

Among the former Umno Youth leaders were Umno Youth exco members Armand Azha Abu Hanifah and Fathul Bari Mat Jayha, but Umno Youth top brass were absent.