Wisma Putra will not be calling up Chinese ambassador Huang Huikang, reversing its earlier attempts to do so after the envoy visited Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur and made certain remarks there on Friday, according to a vernacular news report.
According to the report, the move to summon Huang by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Naina Merican was overturned by acting Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.
Hamzah was previously the deputy foreign minister until he was appointed domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister in the prime minister’s Cabinet reshuffle in July.
The Chinese envoy courted controversy when he visited Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown on Friday, where he reportedly said that Beijing was opposed to terrorism, extremism and any form of discrimination based on race.
It was then reported that Huang would be summoned to Wisma Putra to explain his actions.
Petaling Street was the scene of chaos on September 16 when police had to use water cannons to disperse a crowd of ‘red shirt’ protesters who wanted to force their way into the area.
One of the leaders of the rally, Datuk Jamal Md Yunos, had earlier threatened to protest again in Chinatown yesterday to demand the authorities raid traders there, who he alleged were involved in selling counterfeit goods and running illegal businesses.
The rally was later called off. – September 28, 2015.
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