Ismail Sabri: Unite, let’s move on

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged all parties to move on from his controversial Facebook post on boycotting Chinese traders, as he considered that the matter has come to a close.

This comes after Transport Minister and MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said he accepted Ismail Sabri's statement of regret that his posting had stirred racial sentiments.

Ismail Sabri, who is Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister, said no good would come out by prolonging the issue.

"We should be addressing the root of the problem, which is irresponsible traders raising prices of goods, despite the drop in oil prices and electricity tariffs.

"What is the end result if we continue to bicker? It will do no good for the country.

"Now that the Cabinet has decided and Liow has agreed to accept my statement, we should stop this issue," Ismail Sabri told reporters after launching the jihad campaign against middlemen in businesses at Pasaraya Syed in Sungai Buloh near here on Friday.

However, Ismail Sabri declined to comment when a reporter asked if his statement of regret was an apology.

He said while he considered this issue to be over, he hoped the same would be true for Liow.

"MCA is a fellow comrade in the Barisan Nasional coalition. The important thing is for us to unite as the enemy is not among us, but out of our coalition," he added.

On the "joint statement" with Liow on the issue, Ismail Sabri said there was some miscommunication, and both of them decided to issue separate statements.