MCA: Former CJ spewing nonsense

Ong Ka Chuan says the ex-CJ must stop offending non-Malays with his racist statements of zero basis.

PETALING JAYA: MCA’s Secretary-General, Ong Ka Chuan lashed out at former Chief Justice (CJ), Abdul Hamid Mohamad for “spewing nonsense to polarise communities,” by saying that only Malays truly fought for Malaysia’s independence from the British.

In a statement, Ong said “MCA is deeply aggrieved” that the retired CJ had “uttered statements which hold zero basis”.

Ong added Abdul Hamid’s remarks were a “complete insult to the contributions of MCA” specifically their founder Tan Cheng Lock whose alliance with UMNO’s Tunku Abdul Rahman was an important factor in achieving the confidence of the British for Malaya’s self governance.

He reminded the ex-CJ that Tunku had conceded, “If not for the great support and contributions rendered by the late Tan, I must admit that the struggle for independence for Malaya would not have succeeded.”

Ong said Tunku said those words in his condolence speech in Parliament upon Tan’s death.

Meanwhile, Gerakan’s Vice-President, Kohilan Pillay declared the ex-CJ’s outburst as “outlandish” and “troubling.”

Kohilan said, “It is a blatant offence to all Malaysians which only serves to promote ill-will within Malaysian society.

“Abdul Hamid must not interpret the nation’s important history in a self-serving and biased manner that only aims to confirm his own beliefs and support his existing position.”

Kohilan also condemned the remarks as irresponsible “racial defamation” that is divisive to the nation and urged the former CJ to retract the comments and apologise to the Malaysian public.