KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s position over the pro-Malay #Merah169 rally has unsurprisingly upset the country’s other races, a veteran Umno leader has said following an MCA Youth member’s outburst.

Defending Pasir Gudang MCA Youth chief Cia Cow Hui over his statement severing ties with Naijb, Gopeng Wanita Umno chief Datuk Hamidah Osman said the “whole chaos” was made worse by her party president’s mixed messages over the September 16 event.

“At the Umno Supreme Council meeting, he said Umno members are free to join, then he went for the BN component parties meeting and said he is against racist rallies and at a later event he played up the Malay sentiment, saying they are under threat.

“Why isn't he worried about the feelings of our non-Malay friends? He is prime minister of Malaysia and not to one race... I am not surprised if the Pasir Gudang MCA Youth leader felt offended as it is only natural for him to feel that way after all these,” she told Malay Mail Online.

Cia triggered controversy two days ago when he announced that the MCA Youth wing in Pasir Gudang was severing ties with Najib over his expressed support for the #Merah169 rally.

Following his outburst, the division convened a meeting yesterday and was expected to censure Cia.

But Cia later told Malay Mail Online that his division resolved not to sack or reprimand him over his remark, adding that he maintains his stand to cut all ties with Najib, unless the latter initiates necessary action against those who spewed racist and anti-Chinese messages during the rally.

Thousands of red shirted people were bussed into the federal capital on September 16 that caused concern among traders in the city centre and ethnic Chinese business leaders.

Racially-tinged messages during the rally drew condemnation from non-Malay parties both from BN and the federal opposition, which lodged several reports over banners calling for the abolition of Chinese vernacular schools and carrying the phrase “Cina babi”, among others.

The rally, said to be in support of Najib’s leadership, was to counter last month’s mammoth two-day Bersih 4 gathering calling for the prime minister’s resignation.

During an event held by rally organisers Pesaka last week, Najib defended the protest as being peaceful and called it the result of alleged insults to the Malay community.