BALAKONG POLLS | MCA president Liow Tiong Lai has targetted DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng for previously stating that he considered himself a Malaysian instead of a Chinese.

"I am very worried. When Lim said he is not Chinese but only a Malaysian, I am very worried.

"Because I want to tell Lim and DAP that we are Chinese - we are Chinese and we are also Malaysians.

"I want to make this point clear to him," he said last night while campaigning for Tan Chee Teong, the MCA candidate in the Balakong by-election.

On May 12, Lim had said he did not consider himself as Chinese but a Malaysian in response to a reporter's question on him being the country's first Chinese finance minister in 44 years.

Meanwhile, Liow also warned Lim against "selling out" the Chinese.

"Don't sell out the character and the rights of the Chinese. Don't sell out the Chinese in this country and allow them to be assimilated.

"Ladies and gentleman, remember that we are Chinese and we are also Malaysians," he added.

Liow said MCA had painstakingly ensured the country today is a multiethnic and multilingual where diversity is accepted.

In his speech, the MCA president also questioned why Pakatan Harapan had not given recognition to the Unified Examination Certificate, the certification for Chinese independent high schools.

The matter is currently being studied by a government committee.

During a separate ceramah in Balakong yesterday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan also helped to campaign for MCA.

Polling day for the Balakong by-election will take place this Saturday.