MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon has urged the "irresponsible" Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to raise cattle and grow potatoes instead of sitting in cabinet.

Commenting on Ismail's response to allegations of graft involving 15 percent-subsidised rice, he had chided the minister for shifting responsibility to the ministry's secretary-general instead.

He said the minister refused to accept responsibility when people wanted an answer over the progress of the issue.

"Ismail should instead resign, raise cattle and grow potatoes," Chong was quoted as saying in a report by Sin Chew Daily .

Chong ( left ) also criticised Ismail’s claims that MCA should thank him.

“He actually still wants MCA to thank him? Like as if his racist Facebook posting warrants veneration from our party? Get a life.”

He also called on Ismail to emulate the example that has been set by Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Shafie Apdal, who told Mara to lift restrictions of non-Muslims practising their religious faith on campuses of Mara junior science colleges (MRSM) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Sarawak and Sabah.

“BN needs leaders who create harmonious settings and mutual respect, not people bent on sowing discord and racist or religious hatred. Ismail Sabri should learn from Shafie,” Chong added.

Allegations of misconduct

According to several news reports, a group of rice distributors led by Noridan Spee Yee, the CEO of DCT Beras, had urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to look into allegations of misconduct in the distribution of quotas for ST15 rice.

However, Ismail's reply was that the supply of subsidised rice is the reponsibility of a special committee headed by the ministry's secretary-general, and he was not personally involved.

Stating that the controversial call by Ismail to boycott Chinese traders as "far from over", Chong vowed that the Youth wing will be going after the minister to retract his remark and apologise.

He stressed that a minister who blurted out such racist comments shall not be forgiven without an apology, and pointed out that Malay organisations have also urged Ismail to apologise as well.