Since DAP views itself as representing the Chinese community in Malaysia, its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng should end his friendship with Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz,  Penang Gerakan chief Teng Chang Yeow said.

This is due to the Umno minister's vitriolic remarks regarding the respected billionaire and philanthropist Robert Kuok, which has irked the Chinese community.

“We knew all along, the ties between Lim and Nazri are close. We have yet to see any DAP leader, including Lim and his father Kit Siang, criticising Nazri.

"Lim should not train his guns on MCA and Gerakan, he should not ask the leaders of these parties to deal with the issue,” Teng added in a media statement today.

Teng was responding to Nazri's statement that it is DAP, and not MCA, which is the voice of the Chinese community at present.

He said if Umno leaders accepted this to be true, then there is no reason for Gerakan to be part of BN.

"We did not deny when Nazri said DAP represented the Chinese community because Lim constantly claims the party secured 80 percent of Chinese votes.

"(But) was there an overtone in Nazri's remark. Was he (implying) Umno wanted to form a government with DAP?

"If Umno is willing to accept that DAP represents the Chinese and DAP itself acknowledges this, then what is the significance for Gerakan to stay in BN?" Teng asked.

Gerakan was once considered a political powerhouse, with the party controlling Penang. In the 2004 general election, the party won 10 parliamentary seats and 30 seats.

In the election four years later, Gerakan was almost wiped out while MCA also suffered significant losses.

Nazri and MCA leaders locked horns after the minister rained insults on Kuok following blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin's allegation that the billionaire was bankrolling DAP.

Apart from calling Kuok a “coward” and “pondan” (effeminate), Nazri also challenged the 94-year-old tycoon, who is based in Hong Kong, to contest in the coming general election.

Speaking to Malaysiakini this afternoon, the minister defended his remarks on MCA.

“I said the voice of the Chinese after the 2013 general election is DAP. Is that wrong? I am friends with DAP because I respect democracy.

“I want to carry out tourism work in Seremban and in Penang. These are DAP areas. I cannot leave them aside,” Nazri added.