Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin has been told to check on MCA's plan to set up a political school inspired by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) model, instead of persecuting the DAP over a Merdeka day article.

PAS vice-president Husam Musa weighed in with this salvo following Khairy's recent criticism of the article on the DAP website which questions the identity of the real fighters for Malayan independence.

The article, which commented on Umno's low-key role during that period, also highlighted the role of the defunct Communist Party of Malaya in fighting British colonialists. Two police reports have since been lodged against the writer, DAP leader Ronnie Liu.

Husam said the MCA's plan for a political school " a la the CCP system" is a far more important and real issue for Umno Youth, and that it should stop harping on the DAP article.

"While we have just celebrated Merdeka day, the MCA's statement was made without considering the history of the threat posed by communists in this country before or after independence," he said in a statement.

The PAS leader said he would not play up sentiments by elaborating on the brutality of the communists.

"However, Umno leaders including Khairy should give due attention to this matter. The Umno keris should not be used by its leaders to garner cheap heroism during the Umno general assembly only," he said referring to Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein who had held up the weapon at the meeting.

Khairy, when contacted yesterday, refused to comment on the grounds that he was abroad at the time.

Visit to China

MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan had announced earlier this month that the party is planning to set up a school for its members to disseminate ideology and provide political training.

While details on the school remain sketchy, Ong - along with two other MCA leaders - has visited the schools run by the CCP in China as part of a study to get inspiration for the MCA school.

MCA Youth secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong reportedly said today in the Chinese press that the party would not set up a communist school.

He said the visit by MCA leaders to the CCP schools were only to learn its experience in running the schools, so that the MCA could set up its own version.

Wee told opposition politicians not to distort the truth or make statements out of context.