Rebutting claims that MCA had been too soft on Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s statement, its ministers have vowed to bring the matter up in next week’s cabinet meeting.

MCA president Liow Tiong Lai ( left ) denied that he wasn't strong enough to voice out against Ismail Sabri, and pledged to speak up at the next cabinet meeting if the latter still refused to take responsibility for his controversial posting.

Ismail Sabri had previously made a Facebook post , urging the Malays to boycott Chinese traders who were refusing to lower the prices of goods.

After receiving much flak from the public, the Prime Minister’s Office then clarified that Ismail Sabri’s statement had been aimed at all traders and not just the Chinese.

Liow was responding to former party president Chua Soi Lek’s criticism that he should have been more assertive in reprimanding Ismail Sabri.

According to a report by Sin Chew Daily , when asked if it was appropriate for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to ask everyone to stop prolonging the issue, Liow said that while MCA respected the PM’s decision, the party has expressed its firm stand on the matter.

Asked on whether MCA would demand an apology from Ismail Sabri within a certain period of time, Liow reiterated that Ismail Sabri, as a minister, should know what to do.

'He should know what to do'

“Ismail Sabri should know the situation. He should analyse the current situation, that this will harm BN.

“He should take responsibility for his statement, then only will the matter be resolved amicably,” Liow noted.

He added that MCA has been confronting Ismail Sabri on his statement from the start, and that the party has actively expressed the Chinese sentiment on the issue.

On another note, regarding his photograph with Ismail Sabri and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein during the welcoming ceremony of Indonesia President Joko Widodo that invited criticism last week, Liow explained that it is basic manners to attend the ceremony with other ministers.

“Smiling is a (basic) manner in life, but this doesn't mean I agreed with Ismail Sabri's comment. MCA will stand against any remark that is disrespectful to any race,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong has reassured that Liow would bring up the party position and views on any new developments of the issue in the coming cabinet meeting.

He said that while MCA respects the power of the PM to appoint or remove any minister, Ismail must still take responsibility for his remarks.

Meanwhile when asked today, BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the row over Ismail was best left alone.

"For that, let MCA and Ismail be," he told reporters when asked this morning after launching the Program Komuniti Ceria in Kuala Lumpur.