MCA's Voice

I strongly urge party veterans like Dr Fong Chan Onn, Ong Ka Ting, Ting Chew Peh, Chua Jui Meng and others to guide the leadership of MCA.

Party stalwarts and seniors should share their invaluable experience and knowledge with the new MCA leaders and forge ahead together.

Turn MCA into a strong party where MCA serves the Malaysian community with distinction.

Let MCA continue with their unity approach in Barisan Nasional. I disagree with the term "fight for the Chinese" because that will only be a mirror to UMNO's racial cards.

MCA should continue the efforts of promoting national unity and a progressive Malaysian society by using the Rukunegara and the Constitution of Malaysia as a guide for policies.

The Barisan Nasional approach all these while maintains the essence of unity among the diverse community in Malaysia.

That was the challenge which our forefathers faced and later laid as foundation to the formation of a country - Malaysia.

I have to say, MCA's election this time was democratic where there's no "menu" or "chaidan".

An exception perhaps to the President's post. The outgoing leadership vaguely hinted that Datuk Ong Tee Keat should be given the task to lead MCA for the next 10 years.

Given the level of transparency and democracy in the elections, MCA members remain loyal and supportive of the party and its leadership. Had it been otherwise, we would have seen members quitting the party. Read HERE.

Members have voiced out to the leadership of MCA that they want BN to create a Deputy Chairman II post. However, I do not know who turned that into a proposal for a Deputy PM II post.

Perhaps, BN can show to the people that they will always be a united front and fair to all races. But appointing MCA to the post of Deputy Chairman of BN II will open the floodgates for the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak, the Malaysian Indians, and the other races to make similar demands.

It is sufficient at this time to see MCA members to reflect on their demands with considerations of the unity in Malaysia as a whole.

Leaders of all parties in BN will and should continue to be members of the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council.

MCA members should have instead proposed that the BN Supreme Council should convene meetings more often to make decisions of party policies, instead of UMNO deciding all by themselves - since many claimed they were all these while.

Let the Supreme Council be the centre of discussion and decision making where all political parties are represented equally.

If election results are to be considered, MCA won just 15 seats for Barisan Nasional this time. Demands for the Deputy PM II post doesn't seem proper since their performance in the elections were not good.

If instead, Malaysians voted for MCA and if MCA had won 30 - 40 seats, perhaps their demands are justifiable.

It is very unfair and unjust of MCA to hold UMNO and Barisan Nasional at ransom with their 15 MPs. This is against the power sharing formula of Barisan Nasional.

Although many people these days are saying that UMNO is not respecting its allies also, then should the allies follow the footsteps and create a havoc?

Instead, discussions should be carried out with UMNO and other component parties at the Supreme Council level to develop a clear understanding of a power sharing formula and the meaning of unity.

Again, I prefer the unity approach. Demands from MCA will open the floodgates for MIC, Gerakan and many other political parties to ask for a similar recognition.

Who will we satisfy then? Will we have 10 Deputy Chairman of BN and Deputy PMs?

What MCA should do now is to convince the voters from all walks of life and races that MCA is still relevant and can best serve every Malaysian.

Let us watch the leadership of Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek.

Note

APOMM thanks Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting for his contributions to the Government of Malaysia in his capacity as Housing and Local Government Minister as well as his dedication and service to Malaysians especially the Chinese community when he was President of MCA. I wish him all the best and a happy retirement.