The Malaysian community expects more from MCA and it is time for the party leadership to rise to the occasion, said former president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

He pointed out that if Umno lawmakers backed the hudud bill in Parliament, MCA cannot continue to ignore the elephant in the room and blame others.

"To continue issuing statements condemning DAP would be an exercise in futility," he added in a media statement.

However, Chua predicted that Umno MPs would not lend their support to the bill, which has caused massive fissures in the opposition bloc.

He also said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is fully aware of MCA's stand with regard to hudud.

"When I was the president, the prime minister himself had cautioned me to tone down my attack against hudud as it may be twisted that MCA is anti-Islam," he added.

Previously, MCA leader Gan Ping Sieu warned that if Umno backed the hudud bill at the federal level, it could cause the separation of the BN parties.

In a related development, it was reported that all of Umno’s allies are against the implementation of hudud law in Kelantan.

This stand was taken following a meeting between the leaders of the parties with Najib in Parliament yesterday.

The meeting was held several hours after the Kelantan state assembly, with 12 Umno representatives, passed the hudud bill with an unanimous vote.