MCA faces its biggest challengeBy FOONG PEK YEE pekyee@thestar.com.my
EVEN as the 3,000-odd MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) delegates celebrate the party's 63rd anniversary at Wisma MCA tomorrow, their minds are already on how next year's celebration will fare.
The reason for that is the do-or-die battle awaiting the party in the coming general election, and many see this as the biggest ever challenge faced by the party.
MCA, which won 46 seats in the last election less than half of what it used to win in the past elections will be deemed irrelevant if it slides further.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who described the current political scenario as totally different from the past, said there should be a sense of “crisis feeling” in the party to take on this challenge.
“We are talking about an Opposition which is more organised and committed and out to replace the Government.
“They will do anything and everything to wrest power,” he said when asked about his message for the delegates at the celebrations.
Of late, Dr Chua has made it a point to unmask DAP, its number one political enemy.
While the two Chinese-based parties have been arch rivals for decades, the war this time around is on a very different platform.
“The DAP today, which is a Pakatan Rakyat ally, is different from the DAP of yesteryears.
“It is not just working together with its Pakatan allies PAS and PKR to win seats but is also set to change the fate of the Malaysian Chinese,” Dr Chua noted.
He stressed that a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS.
To begin with, he said the DAP had always evaded the question of what would happen if Pakatan wrested federal control because DAP knew well that it would not have much say in the coalition.
For instance, he pointed out that DAP, which won 18 of the 31 state seats in Perak in the last election, had supported a PAS leader, Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin, to be the Mentri Besar, adding that PAS only won six seats while PKR won seven.
“DAP is nothing more than a political eunuch to PAS,” Dr Chua said.
He said the DAP had been planting hope in the minds of some 6.5 million Malaysian Chinese that the DAP's feat in Penang which saw its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's ascension to the Chief Minister's post was possible in other states.
He reminded the Chinese that the Penang feat would not be possible in other states at the moment due to the demography of voters in the country.
Dr Chua also has a message for the delegates tomorrow the need to publicise what the party has done for the people and also what it can continue to do for them.
“I have the party's report card ready,” he said of the various people-oriented programmes implemented by the party since he took over the helm about two years ago.
And perhaps the Chinese saying chuang ye nan, shou ye gen nan (to build an empire is tough, to maintain an empire is even tougher) best sums up what the 63-year-old party is going through now.
The event will be broadcast live from MCA's internet platforms.
Those wishing to view the celebration can browse the MCA website at http://www.mca.org.my; official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MCAHQ or Ustream Home at http://www.ustream.tv/user/mcatv.
Councillors go easy on Jessie
GEORGE TOWN: Penang municipal councillors have decided not to pursue legal action against Selayang Barisan Nasional coordinator Jessie Ooi for making baseless allegations against the council.
Selangor MCA Beliawanis chief Jessie Ooi >>
Their representative Ong Ah Teong said the councillors had unanimously decided not to pursue the matter and instead focus their time and energy on serving Penangites.
Ooi had made the allegations du-ring the recent televised debate between MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng.
She had during question time alleged among other things that there were not enough parking lots in Lebuh Pantai and that enforcement personnel had assaulted people while performing their duties.
She had also accused the council of towing away cars at 10.30pm.
The council had clarified that 12 vehicles were towed away for illegal parking since the ruling was implemented in June last year.
Based on the council’s record, no vehicles were towed at 10.30pm and none in Beach Street as alleged by Ooi.
The council had explained there were 829 parking bays on Beach Street and adjoining streets and that its enforcement personnel had not assaulted anyone.
Meanwhile, Ooi in a statement said she regretted the “misunderstanding and confusion” caused by her.
“I admit that during the debate, the time for questions was limited and it was an intense affair resulting in me being emotional and not able to convey my message properly,” she said.
She said the council had the right and responsibility to correct or refute her remarks, but it should not prosecute her.
Ooi said the council’s threat to take legal action against her was an attempt at preventing the rakyat from expressing their views.
Society lacking even after 55 years
MALAYSIA, despite almost 55 years of nation-building, has degenerated into an intolerant and prejudiced society. Progress in education and economy has not made us think liberally and outwardly.
Oddly, we are not isolated from the world at large. We embrace globalisation, multi-racialism and world peace. Yet many of us remain parochial, as though shuttered from the changing times and new challenges.
There are still inward-looking people in our midst who are fond of objecting to a variety of things without justification or reason.
Perhaps it is their inbred attitude to complain, protest and threaten.
For example, even before the 1Care programme is finalised, there are already protests.
Against what?
In their insecure, selfish world, these objectors jump the gun by stirring up a storm in the teacup.
The 1Care programme will be conceptualised and proposed in a year or two.
At the moment, it is mere discussion and brainstorming. So why the hullabaloo?
There is this fear that workers will have their salaries deducted to fund the scheme.
The thinking is that 1Care should be offered free without any contribution by the employers and employees.
Any thought of this nature is only a pipe dream. Not everything is free in this world, not even water, clean air and nature’s abundance of crops.
Before Valentine’s Day, there was also strong objection to its celebration.
Isn’t love natural and universal? It is madness to stifle love. The world needs love, lots of it, to attain peace, harmony, unity and growth.
Politics and religion cannot be allowed to stamp out love, a force that is too powerful to be subdued or crushed. Love has existed long before political parties were created.
Like communism, Nazism and terrorism, the “ism” concepts and practices can do more harm than good.
Extremism is a good example of its negative, sometimes destructive, effects. So is racialism.
We must be on guard against false prophets, pretenders and campaigners with personal agendas.
They are dissenters motivated by self-interest and misguided beliefs. Their aim is to plant the seeds of doubt, suspicion and rebellion.
Fear is a commonly used weapon to create panic and opposition. It becomes a medical and social issue when it leads to phobia.
In some cases, fear triggers national disunity, family discord, social strife and violence.
Malaysia has witnessed many “anti” crusades – anti-dam construction, anti-Lynas, anti-highway building and anti-temple removal.
Sometimes, one wonders whether the resources can be channelled to more meaningful purposes like charity, community development and education advancement.
Another widely-employed strategy is rumour-mongering intended to damage integrity, harmony and unity.
Strangely, many Malaysians accept rumours as the gospel truth, not realising that the wagging tongues strive to spread fear and malice.
Years ago, Tun Abdul Razak once advised: “Don’t listen to rumours.” Not much has changed since then. Many people are still gullible, easily swayed, and outright ignorant.
The rumour mills have expanded from coffee shops, markets and taxi stands to factories, community halls and new townships.
When nothing works, objectors and opponents threaten to institute legal proceedings. The “I will sue you” mentality is quite widespread. It seems to be the final answer to one’s frustrations, grievances and selfish interests.
Bad habits die hard, Negative attitudes linger. We are not an enlightened, liberated society. Do we need to wait for another 55 years to see positive change in our mindset?
ROSELINA, Batu Caves, Selangor.
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