I am touched by the news report of the Pahang MCA division leader who was suspended from party positions for apologising to a Taiping farmer Lee who was arrested as a result of a MCA Youth police report for sharing a video deemed insulting to deputy education minister Chong Sin Woon, following the latter’s “deity” jibe after the Penang floods, and was brought to Kuantan and remanded for two days.
David Choi was stripped of all party positions in the Indera Mahkota division, including as its public complaints bureau chief, committee member, and GE14 operation room, banner and pamphlet chief.
It is reported that the MCA division will write to the MCA central disciplinary committee to decide on Choi’s party membership.
Very aptly, Choi said in Chinese: “Man doing, heaven watching”.
In the present era of social media, there is not only rampant fake news, but also rampant abuses of power.
There is need for every social media user to practise a high standard of responsibility and not to believe in what appears on the social media. Furthermore, everyone must exercise discretion and not to cause anyone to become victims of abuses of power.
Although Choi is punished by his party superiors, he has done right in apologising for the injustice suffered by Taiping farmer Lee.
In fact, the MCA national leadership should emulate Choi’s example and tender apologies and make amends to Taiping farmer Lee as well.
(Speech at the DAP Kopitiam dialogue at Pasar Taman Cempaka, Ipoh on Friday, November 17, 2017 at 8 am)