KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — DAP’s Lim Lip Eng today questioned MCA and their president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong’s stance within Barisan Nasional (BN), after the Chinese-led party’s subdued reaction to a scuffle involving Umno supporters and Universiti Malaya (UM) students last Friday.
The Kepong MP also diminished the statement issued by MCA Youth, who had expressed concern over the scuffle, suggesting a mere statement from the party’s youth wing was deemed as a sufficient and suitable response by the party leadership.
Lim also expressed shock at Wee and MCA’s decision not to reprimand or point fingers at Umno leaders, or former ones, supposedly involved in the scuffle.
“MCA president Wee Ka Siong has to explain why he refused to denounce Umno for the altercation outside the university.
“Why does Wee condone Umno despite condemning the people involved in the incident,” Lim questioned.
The scuffle took place at a restaurant near UM last week, where a group of students and intern journalists were roughed up by Umno and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak supporters.
The scuffle had taken place nearby where Najib was having a meet-and-greet session with students.
The incident had apparently sparked from friction between Umno supporters and the students, with the former said to be unhappy over placards and caricatures held by the students.
Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam and Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division chief Mutalib Abdul Rahim were sighted as among those involved in the conflict through videos of the incident which almost immediately went viral.
MCA Youth had then issued a response to the incident also offering legal aid through its legal bureau for students who required it, besides also expressing concern.
To date, some 12 police reports have been lodged, including those by the students and intern journalists, with the incident being condemned by politicians from both divides.
Lim today again pointed his guns towards Wee, this time questioning the timing of the MCA president’s announcement to mobilise party members in support of Umno’s acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s bid for the Rantau by-election.
“Did Wee tell Mohamad Hasan off for keeping quiet on the incident,” he said referring to Friday’s fracas.
Lim suggested that Wee’s decision to back Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, and ultimately not abandon BN had gone against the will of his party.
“Why does Wee go against the wishes of the majority of his party members?
“Can MCA members still have faith in Wee to lead the Chinese based party,” Lim questioned.
On Friday, Wee had pledged his party’s support towards Tok Mat as he launched his party election machinery in support of the Umno acting president, hours after the conflict broke out near UM.
Wee had said the party would do all it can to woo the 3,849 Chinese voters in the Negri Sembilan state seat constituency to vote for Mohamad.
