PETALING JAYA: Rejecting DAP is not racism, it is politics, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president said this after a political commentator accused caretaker Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi of being racist for declaring he would rather quit his position than work with DAP.
Dr Wee said in a social media post on June 8, that the commentator, Tajuddin Rasdi, was misguided.
“DAP is not a race but a political party. If rejecting DAP is racism, then what do we call DAP rejecting MCA, UMNO, PAS, MIC or Bersatu all these years?” he asked.
“Let us also look at the recent Sabah state election. DAP lost all eight seats it contested, including in urban areas with sizable Chinese voters.
“Are we now going to say the Chinese voters in Sabah were being racist against DAP too? Of course not.
“They made a political choice. Just as Johoreans also have the right to make their own political choice," he said.
Dr Wee highlighted that Onn Hafiz is among the least racist leaders he had ever met and worked with throughout his political career.
“He does not see Johoreans through a narrow racial lens. He genuinely sees all Johoreans as one people, one family, one Bangsa Johor,” he added.
“In fact, among the Johor exco members he often refers to and gives important responsibilities are two MCA representatives in the state government.
“They are Lee Ting Han, who handles the important portfolio of investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources, and Ling Tian Soon who handles health and environment.
“These are not small portfolios but important responsibilities involving Johor’s economy, jobs, investment, public health, environmental protection and the wellbeing of the people.
“So to accuse Onn Hafiz of racism simply because BN Johor wants to contest on its own is unfair, irresponsible and politically dishonest."
Dr Wee said Johor BN’s choice to move solo was not an act of racism but a political decision by a state coalition with its own mandate, record and responsibility to the people of Johor.
“Johor is not Putrajaya. A federal arrangement after PRU15 cannot be blindly forced onto a state election.
“If DAP can reject others and call it a political strategy, then BN Johor also has the same right to decide its own path.
“Do not turn every political rejection into a racial accusation. That is not mature politics,” said Dr Wee.
Earlier, a new portal reported that Tajuddin claimed in a social media post that Onn Hafiz displayed racist attitudes for saying he would rather not become menteri besar than to work with DAP, if given the original mandate to form a state government in the next election.
Tajuddin further added that Onn Hafiz should imitate the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman’s attitude, who was willing to sit face to face with Malayan communist leader Chin Peng for the Baling Peace Talks in 1955.
