Malaysiakini Your Say | Jun 10, 11 9:11am

‘MCA leaders are now accomplice to the deepening of the country’s major problem by perpetuating the cycle of racial and religious politics.’

Soi Lek: Chinese balancing act has gone awry

David Dass: MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s logic is flawed. He wants the Chinese Malaysians to split their vote between the BN and the opposition so that the Chinese have representation in government and there is a strong opposition.

In effect, he wants the Chinese in opposition to do the work of the MCA. The fact is that the Chinese want Chinese representation in government to be effective and the feeling is that it is not. I think that it is too easy to blame Umno.

In a system where each ethnic party is to represent their ethnic group, the onus on them is to be effective. The fact that MCA representatives have to shout their position in the streets like the opposition indicates that the system is not working.

It is not enough to point to 20 Chinese tycoons and say how good the government is to the Chinese. There are millions of Chinese who are not tycoons. Most are employees. And they are concerned with bread-and-butter issues. And many Chinese are concerned about truth, fairness and justice for all Malaysians.

Lonestar: Right now without a two-horse race, the rakyat is in the dark about what the other horse can do. For all it may be, the present horse that has been running for more than half a century might actually be a donkey and has been taking the rakyat for a ride.

Take education (not just Chinese education) for example, the rakyat expects more. How sure is the MCA that Pakatan Rakyat cannot perform better?

After 50 years of BN misrule, why can’t the rakyat have a reversal of roles? The BN in opposition and Pakatan in the government. This will give the rakyat a golden opportunity to evaluate as to who can perform better. MCA might even be a better opposition than the DAP.

But then again, we know that the main aim of the government is to look after the rakyat irregardless of race or colour. This is what the BN has been unable to achieve after more than half a century in power.

Ade: Don’t take us for fools. TAR College (Tunku Abdul Rahman College) and Utar (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman) were built because MCA failed to address the university intake for Chinese students.

You were subservient to Umno. Your job should have been to sit down at the table with Umno and fight for the Chinese students. You failed and you pulled wool over our eyes by putting up TAR College and Utar.

No matter how low the fees are, Chinese parents have to pay. The public university fees are below RM2,000 per year. Can TAR College and Utar bring down their fees to that?

You said Pakatan is not as effective as BN. Again, you take us for fools. BN is the federal government. Pakatan is only governing four states. You are comparing apples with oranges.

Kgen: MCA can do nothing for the Chinese community in terms of education, economic opportunities or protection of religious rights. The Chinese have woken up to this. When is the MCA going to wake up and realised that they have been ‘castrated’ by Umno?

For decades, MCA has not been able to resolve the non-recognition of the UEC (Unified Examination Certificate). Now the government is looking into this because the Chinese have swung to Pakatan. As usual, the MCA will shamelessly claim credit for this.

Ong Guan Sin: I am sick and tired of what CSL (Chua Soi Lek) is trying to articulate here. While MCA leaders still think that they do contribute to Malaysia and the Chinese community by ‘resolving’ issues, they have not realised that the issues that they have ‘resolved’ are repeating themselves, again and again.

Not only are they not resolving issues, they are now accomplice to deepening of the very problem of Malaysia by perpetuating the cycle of racial and religious politics.

I know of MCA leaders who have a good heart believe in working from within, but it’s time for them to realise that they are legitimising an evil regime that’s plaguing Malaysia for decades.

Soap Opra: Pakatan Rakyat has just taken over Penang, Selangor and Kedah, so you can’t expect much from them after 50 years of BN rule. And for Kelantan, give them the oil royalty and you will see how Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat can outdo Selangor.

Chua is still day-dreaming and pretending not knowing the real reason MCA is losing support. Only cronies who are benefitting from BN rule are the ones still supporting MCA.

Swipenter: MCA used to represent the Chinese community. Somewhere during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration it came to represent the selfish interests of their leaders and as a result MCA was compromised by Mahathir/Umno.

All their leaders were and still are ‘castrated’ by Mahathir/Umno, and they in turn compromised the interests of the Chinese community. Look at how Umno insults MCA (also MIC), and what do the MCA leaders do?

MCA, you have forgotten the rights, the hopes and aspirations of the Chinese community – that is to be treated, recognised and respected as equal citizens of their country of birth. The Chinese do not ask for more, other than what is guaranteed under the federal constitution.

MCA is in denial mood if they think there is no official and institutionalised discrimination against the Chinese community.

Cinaputra: MCA is a toothless tiger subservient to Umno and getting only pitiful handouts at best. We have been told we are not equal citizens and now reduced to second-class pendatang citizens.

You may have brought the problems to the table but what’s the use if you have not been able to resolve them? Why do you think the non-Malays are fleeing the country by the thousands? We are only asking for a place in the sun due to us as equal citizens but clearly we have been receiving the short end of the stick.

Race-based politics has no place in a globalised world. The Indians have been marginalised and I forsee the Chinese will go the same way in the long run. If you are seen to be ineffective, you are deemed to be irrelevant.

Ph: Chua Soi Lek, you now have a chance to redeem yourself and the Chinese community and all true Malaysians will thank you if you can take this giant step to change the political landscape for the good of the country.

You will be remembered as the leader with guts who is willing to sacrifice your position for Malaysia. The giant step I am talking about is to take the decision to dissolve MCA and allow its members to join any other current parties, especially the opposition parties.

Show Umno that you are a man of principles and dare to do the right thing. All true Malaysians will salute you.