KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — The Cabinet, including its Chinese members, no longer views Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s allegedly racist remark about Chinese traders as an issue and has moved on, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

Khairy, who was asked to comment today on Ismail’s refusal so far to apologise for his words, insisted that the matter has been laid to rest.

“I think that issue has been resolved already. MCA’s voice (on the matter) was very clear during the Cabinet (meeting) and both the president Datuk Seri Liong Tiong Lai and (Senator Chong) Sin Woon as the Youth Chief have made their stance very clear.

“And Ismail Sabri has expressed his regret and Barisan Nasional (BN)… we get through this problem without any issue,” he told reporters after attending MCA’s Chinese New Year open house here.

When pressed that Ismail has yet to apologise to the public, Khairy said:

“We have put it aside, we’ve moved on already”.

Two weeks ago, Ismail Sabri sparked a firestorm of protest over his Facebook post urging Malay consumers to boycott allegedly profiteering Chinese businesses.

The agriculture and agro-based industries minister added that the high price of goods, despite the dip in fuel costs, was a form of sabotage aimed at stirring public dissent against the government.

Ismail Sabri later said he was not directing his words at the Chinese community, but merely to unscrupulous Chinese businesses that have been indiscriminately raising their prices and keeping costs high.