PETALING JAYA: Former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek has defended Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s refusal to govern in partnership with DAP, saying the remark was a political statement made in the context of Barisan Nasional contesting the Johor election on its own.
Yesterday, Onn Hafiz had said he would rather not be menteri besar than govern Johor with DAP, triggering immediate criticism from DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook and political commentator Tajuddin Rasdi.
Tajuddin accused Onn Hafiz of displaying a “racist personality”, while Loke fired back at the Johor BN chief by pointing out that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi sits next to him at weekly Cabinet meetings.
Chua said Onn Hafiz’s remark should not be read in isolation.
“He is saying that BN is going solo because of the feedback from the grassroots, and I’m saying, so if we go solo, and in the end do not make it, or do not have a majority, we will not work with DAP and don’t mind being in the opposition,” he said.
“So, to me, the statement is important. What is more important is the context in which the statement was issued.”
Chua said Onn Hafiz was one the most moderate Umno leaders he has encountered in his 18 years of service in Johor.
“He is the most liberal, most moderate and progressive Umno leaders I’ve ever met.
“He goes to the ground, so he reaches more races, and I never say, and I will never say, he’s a racist.”
Responding to Loke’s remarks, Chua said it was not appropriate to compare the federal unity government arrangement with Johor’s state politics.
“After the general election, because of the hung Parliament, and acting on the advice of the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Barisan Nasional and the rest joined up with PH to form the government to maintain stability and peace in the country,” he said.
Chua said the seating arrangement in Cabinet was not a matter of choice.
“Zahid sitting next to the Prime Minister and the secretary-general of DAP sitting next to Zahid is not by choice but by protocol and convention in the Cabinet arrangement,” he said.
“It’s by convention that the deputy prime minister sits to the right of the prime minister and next to the deputy prime minister is also the head of the Chinese party, in this case DAP.”
Chua said DAP cannot hold itself out as a multi-racial party. “If you have a few state assemblymen or MPs who are non-Chinese and you claim that multi-racial, I think it is far-fetched, to be honest.”
He said Johor BN has chosen to seek its own mandate.
“In the end, if BN cannot secure a majority, BN Johor will not work with DAP. To me, that is nothing racist. It’s a political statement.”
