MCA Youth national treasurer Michael Lee said the video, which featured Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, had set a “very bad and distasteful example.”

“This runs contrary to the traditional spirit of the festival and leaves a bad taste in the mouth,” said Lee in a statement today.

“DAP has never missed any opportunity to spread hatred among the people.”

However, Lee said as Malaysian Chinese, the duo must realise there is a need to “scale down” during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

“Their actions are disgusting and an insult not only to the festival itself but to their own intelligence as well.”

Aimed at gathering support for the Sarawak state election, the video entitled “God of Fortune: Special Edition” was released on YouTube last week.

The video features Pua and Teo with a God of Prosperity character whose efforts to give out red packets are eclipsed by a man in Arabic clothes holding a cheque of RM2.6 billion addressed to the prime minister.

“The Chinese New Year celebration is the grandest among the Chinese festivities. Chinese people exchange greetings of goodwill and perform good deeds, reinforcing the traditional values of harmony, filial piety and comradeship,” said Lee.

“Instead, Selangor DAP chairman Tony Pua and deputy publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching have resorted to modifying the lyrics of festive songs and spoofing the Prime Minister and government, setting a very bad and distasteful example.”

Lee criticised Pua and Teo for “attempting to brainwash viewers” by slamming the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as a government trick aimed at robbing workers and the poor of their money.

“They were twisting the actual intention behind the tax regime, oblivious to the fact that over a 100 countries worldwide have implemented GST.

“Pua and Teo are both MPs but do not demonstrate the proper behaviour expected of them.

“They play up the people’s sentiments and spread hatred for their own political mileage. Such actions must be condemned.”