PETALING JAYA: Lim Kit Siang's statement that DAP would have no hesitation about leaving Pakatan Harapan is a brave one but he has proven a coward when challenged to do so, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The MCA president said Kit Siang did not even dare to defend his statement, only stressing that the DAP would not quit Pakatan.

 "The question Kit Siang has to answer is: Why make a U-turn on his own statement?

"Is he and DAP afraid of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad?" Dr Wee asked in a statement.

Lim has come under attack after a blog post on Dec 20, in which he said DAP leaders would have no hesitation about leaving the coalition government if the objective of a "New Malaysia" was abandoned.

PAS, for example, has asked the DAP to grow a backbone and leave the government.

In response, Lim said: "I never said that DAP was quitting PH.

"All I said was that the DAP would not be like the MCA leaders who were most famous for being spineless, and that DAP leaders, whether in government or outside, would have no hesitation in leaving the coalition government if the objective of a New Malaysia is abandoned."

The MCA president said if Lim wanted to see his son Guan Eng hold the Finance Minister post, then he should not issue confusing statements that might be misconstrued as a threat to leave Pakatan and subsequently faulting others for misunderstanding.

"Almost every local media reported that DAP had no hesitation about leaving Pakatan, even RoketKini, DAP's own mouthpiece.

"Don't blame the others (for not understanding the statement) when even Dr Mahathir don't understand what you were saying," Dr Wee said.

"It is also clear that DAP's Malaysian Malaysia struggle and the promises made before GE14 failed to be achieved in the Pakatan government," he said, adding that Kit Siang seemed to be affected by MCA's challenge for the DAP to leave Pakatan.

Source: TheStar