This afternoon, 165 MCA Youth divisions had demanded Ismail Sabri Yaakob to apologise over his remark concerning Chinese traders.

But later, MCA president Liow Tiong Lai and the agriculture and agro-based industries minister share a laugh while waiting for the arrival of Indonesian president Joko Widodo at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

A photograph of this was posted by Ismail on his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Also in the gleeful snapshot was Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who defended Ismail.

"With (Hishamuddin) and (Liow) welcoming the the arrival of Indonesia president Joko Widodo. Hehe," read the tweet.

Liow, however, chose to exercise caution, opting to upload a photograph of himself with the Indonesian president instead on his Twitter account.

 

 

Bsama @HishammuddinH2O & @liowtionglai semasa mnyambut ketibaan Presiden Indonesia - Joko Widodo. Hehe :) pic.twitter.com/rU2XDbJl8Z

— Ismail Sabri (@IsmailSabri60) February 5, 2015

Ismail had courted flak over a Facebook posting calling on Malays to boycott Chinese traders, who did not reduce the prices of goods in tandem with the drop in fuel prices.

MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon was one of the earliest to criticise Ismail, saying that he was unfit to be a minister.

However, Ismail was let off the hook when the Prime Minister's Office claimed that the latter was calling for action against all traders who refused to lower prices, regardless of race.

Liow too has come under intense criticism for not making a stronger stand on this issue, especially after it was revealed that no MCA or MIC minister had called for Ismail to resign during yesterday’s cabinet meeting.