Politik, Legislatif, Dasar dan Tadbir Urus

My letter was earlier published in Malaysiakini.com on 6/1/2015 It was hurtful to see that both MCA president Liow Tiong Lai and Penang Gerakan chairperson Teng Chang Yeow were using a Buddhist event in Penang recently to criticise and condemn an opposition party and its leaders, especially the Penang chief minister. Both Liow and Teng should use their own political platforms to do so as it would be inappropriate for both of them to take advantage of a sacred and religious event to voice their criticism and condemnation of others. The MCA leader and Penang Gerakan chief had earlier attended the 123rd anniversary celebration and induction of the seventh abbot of Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam, Penang recently. We wish to stress that it is not wrong to promote the course of moderation via your statement in the said Buddhist event but to go overboard and resorting to political attacks during the same event is definitely improper, especially when both of you were invited by the templ...

My article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 1/11/2014 When an Umno divisional leader from Selangor called on the government to shut down Chinese vernacular schools, MCA was the first BN component party to rebuke him. We applaud the MCA central committee (CC) member for his quick reaction on this issue. However, in reply, the said Umno division leader fired back at the CC member by asking him to shut his mouth instead, stating that it was none of MCA business and labelled MCA as already irrelevant to the Chinese community. The Umno man added more salt to the wound by saying that many MCA leaders only won their seats in the general elections because of Malay votes. Not surprisingly, the entire MCA leadership got numbed and sought assistance from Umno president and BN chairman Datuk Ser Najib Razak via a “close door” meeting. In the end, we saw nothing at all on what is really BN’s official stance pertaining to the Chinese vernacular school system. We all know that many MCA le...

My article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 30/7/2014 When Barisan Nasional (BN) lost its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament in the last two general elections, the dominant Umno in the ruling coalition began to expound its agenda of race, religion and Malay rulers in a bid to regain lost ground among the Malay Muslim majority as well as to maintain stranglehold in the rural areas. On certain occasions, Umno managed its race, religion and ruler agenda quite successfully but it still failed to make progress in mostly urban areas. However, it did make a breakthrough in semi-urban areas by prioritising racial and religious issues to confuse voters and split their support. After some protests from BN coalition partners, mainly MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP, on Umno’s increasing dependency on racial and religious extremism, these radical agendas were later subcontracted to a number of far-right radical non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including Perkasa, Isma, Muafaka...

My article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 14/6/2014 MCA has decided to accept cabinet positions after its delegates voted to allow the party to rejoin the Umno-dominated BN government, while Gerakan was promised a ministerial position if the party president was voted back into Parliament in the recent Teluk Intan by-election. Well, the wishes of MCA and Gerakan have finally come through. The two BN component parties will once again enjoy their government privileges after a long absence. However, the leaders of MCA and Gerakan should be reminded that this is no honeymoon for them. People are still watching the way politics has been played by these two parties which were almost wiped out in the last two general elections. The people still see both MCA and Gerakan as being too dependent on the powerful and dominant Umno in the BN coalition. It has been noted that when the opposition Islamist party PAS made an attempt to table a private bill in Parliament to pave the way for ...

This article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 20/2/2014 MCA leaders met in Genting Highlands last month to brainstorm its transformation plan and map out strategies for the party to regain electoral support. In its transformation plan, MCA wants to strive for good governance and accountability, check corruption and wastage, and promote effective public service and quality education. MCA has also pledged to be more vocal in addressing issues and to adopt a multiracial approach in its quest for a better nation. These declarations beg a question: will MCA be able to adapt to its own transformation plan? There was some sort of commitment from the party’s central committee, but what about the divisional and branch levels as well as its local leaders? Did all the divisional and branch chairmen as well as their committees really understand what the transformation plan is all about? Are these local leaders really committed in ensuring the party really changes fo...

When the Opposition front decides to endorse parliamentary opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the Kajang state constituency, MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong was quick to mock that why should a great leader like Anwar contest in that so-called "satay" town. So, looks like MCA and its party deputy president has indirectly insulted the people of Kajang by mocking that the said great leader (Anwar) should not contest in that town in the next coming by election. Apart from that, Wee had also failed to give any affirmative on whether MCA would fill its "great" leader or candidate to contest against Anwar's candidacy. Is MCA or Wee afraid of realizing their candidate for this "traditional" seat of theirs? To-date, MCA and its leaders are still speaking politically like a coward. If they were to really want to put their candidate in that state constituency to fight PKR and Anwar at all cost, we will also ask, what for? Knowing that the peop...

Sewaktu perasmian perhimpunan agung tahunan MCA pada minggu yang lalu, presiden Umno selaku pengerusi BN, Najib Razak di dalam ucapan perasmiannya memberitahu para perwakilan MCA dan wartawan bahawa parti tersebut memerlukan "Viagra Politik" untuk bangkit semula ke zaman kegemilangannya. Maksud Najib mengenai "Viagra Politik" mungkin adalah satu niat Najib untuk mensasarkan peringatan terrsebut dengan menggunakan bekas presiden MCA Dr Chua Soi Lek yang telah memilih untuk tidak mempertahankan jawatannya di dalam pemilihan parti, sebagai contoh. Dr Chua sebelum ini pernah terlibat di dalam skandal seks yang menyebabkan beliau terpaksa meletakkan semua jawatannya dalam parti dan kerajaan. Beliau kemudiannya dipilih sebagai presiden parti di dalam permilihan parti yang sengit setelah mengalahkan penyandangnya pada masa itu, Datuk Ong Tee Keat. Tengoklah, bertapa hinanya MCA dibuat Najib di dalam ucapan tersebut. Bagaikan keseluruhan warga MCA adalah alat nafsu...

This article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 13/12/2013 Leaders who are contesting in the MCA election on Dec 21 are intensifying their campaigns as the polls draw nearer. The big question is whether those elected will be able to revamp the party and turn its fortunes around. I doubt it because most of the candidates are old faces who have been around since 2008, when MCA suffered a major electoral setback. In aftermath of the 13th general election last May which saw MCA suffering its worst ever defeat, a group of young reformists formed the New Movement in the party. The New Movement unveiled an action plan outlining the need for the party to implement a direct election of party leaders and to allow party members to determine the electoral candidates. It also called for the re-registration of party members in order to determine the actual party members and the legitimacy of all its branches. Little-known Gurun state assemblyman Dr Leong Yong Kong has ...

Former MCA president and former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik was today acquitted the court of all charges against him in the much publicized Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal which had cost the government billions of Ringgit in losses. Then, the question here is, who is the real culprit? Why was the probe only focusing on Dr Ling and not the other parties who are also involved in the PKFZ dealings, be it directly or indirectly? The contractors, sub-contractors, as well as those minor contractors at large, business connections, other powerful people behind the scene, why weren't all these elements taken into consideration during the probe. Another former transport minister Chan Kong Choy who is also the former MCA deputy president was also reported to be part of the PKFZ deal during his tenure in the government. Why was his case yet to be heard? Perhaps the Attorney-General's Chambers had forgotten. So does the Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency (MACC). Besides Ch...

This article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 6th October 2013 Recently, a group of 23 MCA division chairmen publicly questioned the management of the party’s finances and assets, especially during the reign of party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. There are indeed lots of suspicion. What had actually gone wrong? No one knows exactly what is happening in the MCA’s financial and asset management. It has been so secret and confidential under the hands of the party president. However, the 23 division chairmen are adamant in finding out the truth behind the party’s iron curtain. In fact, the majority of the party members also suspect that Chua might be rushing to sell off the various party assets ahead of the upcoming party elections. Right now, not only those 23 division chairmen are demanding to know the truth, but the press as well as ordinary party members are also keeping a close watch on the origins of the RM107 million gained by the party as claime...

This article was earlier published in TheAntDaily.com on 30th August 2013 MCA, Gerakan and PPP suffered humiliating defeats in the last two general elections, and their leaders know the cause: their subservience to Umno, the “big brother” in the Barisan Nasional. They may blame their defeat on the opposition parties for allegedly spreading lies about them, but it will not change the reality. In the 12th general election in 2008, MCA, Gerakan and PPP took a heavy drubbing: Gerakan lost the Penang state to the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, with all its state assemblymen wiped out. In the 13th general election, the three BN parties fared even worse. MCA managed to secure only seven parliamentary seats, down from 15 in the previous election. Gerakan is left with only one seat while PPP did not win a single parliamentary or state seat. The leaders of these three major BN partners know that their ties with Umno were the biggest drawback in the electoral battles. They know ...

Baru-baru ini, beberapa pertubuhan masyarakat Cina di serata Malaysia telah menggesa agar MCA menyertai semula kerajaan di semua peringkat. Begitu juga dengan saranan yang dibuat oleh beberapa orang pemimpin MCA yang menyokong timbalan presiden parti, Liow Tiong Lai. Kumpulan yang dikepalai oleh Liow juga telah dilihat sedang berkempen untuk mendapat sokongan ahli-ahli parti bagi membawa MCA kembali ke pangkuan kerajaan. Seperti yang diketahui umum MCA akan mengadakan perhimpunan agung tahunannya tidak lama lagi, begitu juga dengan pemilihan parti, yang kini sedang berjalan dari cawangan hingga bahagian. Pemilihan peringkat pusat dijangka akan diadakan pada penghujung tahun ini yang akan menyaksikan pertandingan sengit untuk beberapa jawatan tertinggi dalam parti. Jikalau benar MCA ingin menyertai semula kerajaan dan berjaya berbuat demikian, apakah bezanya? Mampukah MCA menjadi lantang di dalam menyuarakan hak-hak masyarakat bukan bumiputra di negara kita ini? Atau MCA masih ak...

Baru-baru ini, terdapat banyak perbincangan di kalangan pemimpin dan ahli-ahli politik daripada parti-parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) yang didominasi oleh kaum Cina, khususnya MCA, Gerakan dan SUPP mengenai keperluan untuk bergabung bagi menjadi satu parti kaum Cina yang terbesar di negara ini. Namun demikian, presiden SUPP sudahpun menolak cadangan tersebut dengan mendakwa bahawa parti pimpinan beliau bukannya sebuah parti yang mewakili kaum Cina sahaja. Sementara di pihak MCA dan Gerakan pula, para pemimpin kedua-dua parti tersebut kini cuba menolak persoalan tersebut dengan menggesa agar menunggu sehingga persidangan agung tahunan dan pemilihan kedua-dua parti itu selesai. Walaubagaimanapun, bergabung ataupun tidak bergabung, kesudahan ketiga-tiga parti komponen BN ini adalah tetap sama. Mereka telah kehilangan sokongan bukan sahaja daripada masyarakat Cina tetapi kesemua rakyat Malaysia pada keseluruhannya. Macam manapun MCA, Gerakan dan SUPP bergabung, rakyat masih...

MCA kini sedang berdepan dengan gelak ketawa daripada orang ramai akibat daripada perbuatannya yang mengikat diri mereka sendiri. Selain daripada itu, ramai di antara kita juga mula percaya bahawa para pemimpin MCA tidak boleh hidup tanpa jawatan-jawatan kerajaan. Di dalam persidangan agung tahunan MCA yang diadakan pada tahun 2011 dan 2012, para perwakilan parti tersebut telah meluluskan satu resolusi untuk tidak menerima sebarang jawatan dalam kerajaan jika sekiranya parti tersebut gagal menunjukkan prestasi dan pencapaian yang memuaskan di dalam pilihanraya umum yang ke-13 (PRU13). Dan pada ketika itu, apabila ditanya sama ada hanya jawatan menteri kabinet sahaja akan ditolak, presiden MCA Dr Chua Soi Lek dengan lantang menjawab, bahawa penolakan jawatan kerajaan jika sekiranya MCA gagal mencapai kemenangan besar di dalam PRU13, adalah daripada peringkat menteri, timbalan menteri, setiausaha politik, majlis mesyuarat kerajaan negeri (exco), lembaga pengarah GLC, lembaga pelaw...

When MCA national organising secretary Tee Siew Khiong decided to abide by the the Sultan's "titah perintah" and accepted the state executive councillor's position in Johor, MCA president Chua Soi Lek then let known to everyone that Tee has gone against the resolution made in the MCA annual general assembly affirming that the party should not accept any government or government-related position if the party performs badly in the general elections. As the result of Tee's obedience to the Sultan, he has to resign from all his party positions at the national, state, divisional and branch levels. In the recent MCA central committee meeting, it has also decided that Tee's party membership would be suspended for three years. Tee then responded that the decision made by the party leadership was a kind of double-standard. Later, the news of MCA vice-president Ng Yen Yen (who is also the former tourism minister in the previous cabinet) had accepted the appointme...

"Apa lagi Cina mahu?" or "What do the Chinese want?" This is what has been voiced out by the frustrated Utusan Malaysia's editorial today. Well, we actually didn't want anything from anyone at all. What we are merely looking forward to, is a clean and trustworthy government, with no corruption; power abuse; mismanagement of public funds; treating our people with just and equal manner; having a clean electoral process; where extreme and racist policies are eliminated; a police force and anti-corruption enforcement that would take on those wrongdoers without having to look at their political affiliations; with no discriminations onto certain communities or ethnicities; no political violence; free and fair elections with practical democracy to be put on practice in this nation; and there are a lot more to say over here, but we would not list them out as it would take two to three articles to complete the lists. Well, the BN government has been running th...

In the recently concluded 13th general elections (GE13), MCA has saw the winning of its parliamentary and state seats contested being reduced tremendously to only 7 and and 11 seats respectively. MCA had contested 37 parliamentary seats and 90 state seats. According to MCA president Chua Soi Lek, the results are very disappointing for MCA and as for that, the party will not accept any government positions within the coalition from this term onwards, be it ministerial or state executive councillor positions. According to Chua again, he felt disappointed with the Chinese community who has decided to rally behind the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat. In the GE13 results announced late last night, Pakatan Rakyat had saw the increase of its parliamentary seats to 89 with DAP having garnered 38 seats, PKR got 30 and PAS with 21 seats. According to Chua again, DAP has won big and so does Umno. "As such, the two-party system has now become a two-race system, where all the Chine...