Did Khairy Jamaluddin bad-mouth Chinese community?

Bernama reported Chinese newspapers published that Khairy Jamaluddin, the PM’s son-in-law and UMNO Youth No 2, had said the Chinese community would capitalise on UMNO's weaknesses. Apparently Khairy did so in Kedah last Friday.

The MCA is pissed off with the young politician who’s obviously trying to make a name for himself within his own Youth group, especially after his controversial on-off ownership of millions of Libra-ECM shares. MCA leaders worry that young Khairy has resorted to an UMNO Youth time-tested method of demonising the Chinese for political gains.

Now, Khairy claimed he had received a request for a meeting with MCA Vice Chief Ling Hee Leong to clarify his speech. Khairy averred that the MCA leaders had misconstrued the message in his speech. He insisted the matter was not a new issue.

He claimed the speech was meant to bolster UMNO and not to tear the fabric of goodwill upheld by the BN component parties. Khairy said he stressed on the spirit of consensus in BN, but with UMNO as the backbone of BN, the Malay party had to be strong for the well-being of the coalition.

He said: "What I said was that we must progress together, we need a strong UMNO. We must accept that the strength of BN lies with UMNO and UMNO has to be strong for the good of BN. If UMNO is not strong, some quarters might take advantage and affect the goodwill in BN, not the other kind of advantage. This was my message."

His answer provides diddly squat assurance to the MCA’s concerns. Khairy is tap dancing around the straightforward query – Did he or did he not say that the Chinese community would capitalise on UMNO’s weakness?

Unfortunately, UMNO, especially its Youth section, has this usual habit of diverting their internal problems through Chinese-bashing. The recent harassment of Penang Chief Minister was part and parcel of UMNO’s part/temporary treatment of its internal strife.

The truth is more nearer to the probability that UMNO Youth would capitalise on the Chinese community’s availability as a convenient punching bag, rather than the other way around.

Related:
(1) Penang CM's post - bleating lamb and strutting roosters
(2) Penang UMNO Youth Defies PM on CM's post
(3) Bkt Mertajam's UMNO: "Koh must share powers with UMNO!"
(4) What has Penang Govt given Non-Malays?