Speaking to FMT, Yap Pian Hon said MCA was already in a difficult position and the argument with Nazri would only make things worse.
“They should be working together to face GE14, and not be seen fighting each other. It’s really silly,” he said, adding that party issues should be solved behind closed doors.
The former Serdang MP was referring to the war of words between Nazri and MCA leaders over billionaire Robert Kuok, whom Nazri had called a “pondan” (pansy) following allegations that the tycoon had channelled funds to DAP.
Kuok has denied the claims and said he reserves the right to sue blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, who first made the accusation.
Outraged MCA leaders demanded that Nazri apologise to Kuok for his comments, but he has refused to do so.
Yap said both sides should have looked into the truth of the allegations before jumping into an open argument.
Recalling MCA’s early days, he said Umno and MCA used to stand by each other like brothers.
“I remember, when DAP came to Peninsular Malaysia, Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore’s first prime minister) said DAP was there to replace MCA.
“But Tunku Abdul Rahman stood up for the party, saying even if only one man was left in MCA, he would stand by it.
“That should be the spirit among BN parties, not what it is today. That is why things are getting worse.”
Yap held the Serdang seat from 1974 until 2008, when he lost to DAP’s Teo Nie Ching and later Ong Kian Ming in 2013.
A former DAP member himself, Yap had left the party claiming that its adviser Lim Kit Siang, who was chairman at the time, was a dictator.
He said he was deeply saddened by MCA’s present condition.
“When I go out and talk to Serdang residents, they say they’re so fed up that they don’t plan to vote for MCA.
“Because they are fed up with the party, they are choosing not to vote in GE14,” he added.
Meanwhile, former MCA member Lee Hwa Beng said the party could not afford the argument with Nazri.
“It will further erode their existing bad image within the Chinese community.
“Even though I’m no longer with MCA, it is sad that they are engaging in this argument, which is unnecessary and childish.”