Chua to Nazri: Let's sodomize Mahathir together ...
MCA rallies behind Nazri’s ‘Malaysian First’ cry
In an apparent move to take some heat off the outspoken leader, the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) senior Chinese party sang high praises of him, acknowledging that in making the declaration Nazri had placed his career on the line.
“I fully support Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz who has staked his political career defending the cornerstone of a plural Malaysia.
“His resolve to put the nation’s interest above communal considerations makes him an exemplary figure on what 1 Malaysia is all about,” said MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu in a statement today.
Nazri had made the “Malaysian first” declaration in an open letter he penned recently to rebut allegations made against him by Utusan Malaysia columnist “Awang Selamat”.
The Padang Rengas MP had brazenly said, “And yes I am a Malaysian first and Malay next. Does any bigot have a problem with that?”, thus opening the floodgates of questions on whether his Umno colleagues would dare to join him in his assertion.
His words also appeared to be a direct snub to his superior in Umno, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who had once famously declared himself to be Malay first and Malaysian second.
Nazri, however, continued to stay solo in his “Malaysian first” song and was backed mainly by opposition leaders. None of his colleagues in Umno stepped up to defend him.
Gan today came to the defence of his colleague in the BN, and stood toe-to-toe with him by declaring himself as “Malaysian first and Chinese second”.
“Like him, I have no qualms professing to be a Malaysian first, a Chinese second. In fact, I am proud to be a Malaysian,” he said.
Gan also agreed with Nazri on another statement that being Malaysian first would not mean he was showing less respect to his race.
“Like him, I do not think that such a proclamation will make me any less Chinese or make me forget my roots and tradition,” he said.
In a second letter to Awang Selamat, Nazri had said: “To be a Malaysian does not necessarily mean to be anti-Malay.”
Gan said as a fellow politician, he empathised with Nazri and knew that the veteran leader was risking a lot just to make his stand clear.
“As a politician, I am aware of the huge risks Datuk Seri Nazri has taken just to say and do the right things. The easier way out would have been to play to the gallery or just lie low,” he said.
Gan also noted that Nazri’s brave declaration had caused him to be a victim of much “vicious ridicule and attacks” by rightist groups he claimed were out to derail the prime minister’s 1 Malaysia agenda.
Nazri’s latest stint in the limelight had risen from his verbal war with Malay rights group Perkasa, whose leaders have accused the Umno minister of failing to understand the true meaning of 1 Malaysia.
But the MCA today chose to back Nazri in his method of spreading the government’s 1 Malaysia ideology, reminding him that he was not alone in his struggles.
“Nazri is not alone in the battle to uphold 1 Malaysia in all aspects of nation-building.
“Just as his Umno comrades have come out to defend my MCA colleagues who came under intense fire from racist groups, I feel it is my responsibility to stand up for a man who, against all risks, speaks and does what is right for this nation,” said Gan.
As for “racist groups”, he added, an overwhelming majority of Malaysians, especially the youths, did not subscribe to their ideology.
“This applies to all extremist groups, whether they are Chinese-based, Malay-based or those from other ethnic groups.
“They can continue to live in a time warp while the nation marches on,” he said.
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