MALACCA: MCA has commended the Malacca government’s intervention to ensure that students of a college in Alor Gajah are not denied their vegetarian meals.

The party’s deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic) said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron had demonstrated a true muhibbah spirit when he promptly stepped in to rescind an order issued on Tuesday by the college to bar outside food, affecting the vegetarians.

“The Chief Minister’s concern in personally looking into the matter is in line with the nation and party’s vision to mould a moderate and tolerant society,” he said after opening a workshop for teachers and principals of Chinese schools from Johor (North Zone) at a resort in Alor Gajah, near here, yesterday.

The college had barred some 40 students who were vegetarian from ordering food from outside following a food poisoning case.

The cafeteria does not provide vegetarian meals.

However, despite finding out that none of the vegetarian students were hit by food poisoning, and that the contaminated food could have been served at the cafeteria, the prohibition was not lifted until Idris’ intervention on the same day.

Idris’ quick action, Dr Wee noted, echoed the tolerance espoused by MCA.

Dr Wee said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai was also a vegetarian and it would not be right to force him to eat meat whenever he attended events.

“When meat is served, he will decline it.

“As Malaysians, we need to be sensitive to other people’s needs,” he said.

By the same token, Dr Wee said the party leadership welcomed MCA Youth’s call to serve all races in every constituency, and shed the mindset of serving only one race.

“The call is a good step towards narrowing the racial gap between Malaysians,” he added.

Separately, Dr Wee said MCA was well prepared to face a snap election in Penang, saying that the party is hoping to field candidates in four parliamentary and 10 state seats.-thestar