All quarters should look ahead and ensure that the multi-racial people in the country will stay united in facing current challenges, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai said.

He said local sentiments, especially solidarity of the people, were important in ensuring that the country would be able to survive come what may.

"If the people don't stay united, it will lead to economic downturn and recession," he told reporters after attending the 'Kembara Kasih Merdeka 2015' programme here Monday.

When asked about the report which had gone viral in the social media that most of the participants of the illegal Bersih 4 rally were Chinese, Liow said the action of certain quarters in putting a racial label on the illegal rally was not good for the country.

"This has nothing to do with race. Our country is a multi-racial country. Everyone has the right to voice out their opinion, but must do so according to the law. We are a democratic nation," he explained.