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Media Comment
by Ronnie Liu
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(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday) :  People in the Klang Valley are very angry with the Government. They felt that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional Government has betrayed them. They voted practically every man and woman from Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan into both Federal and State Governments, thinking that these wakil rakyat will protect their interest. They have now begun to realize that these wakil rakyat were actually wakil tol! They will give whatever the toll companies asked and choose not to listen to the voices of the rakyat.

When the Government decided to approve the toll hike up to 60% at a time when the people were already burdened with inflation and high cost of living, the people felt cheated by these leaders. Even the members of the MCA at the grass-root level are now beginning to feel the pinch.

That has probably explained why the MCA Youth Puchong under Datuk Tong Bok has decided to hold a demonstration on Friday, 29 Dec 2006 at the LDP toll in Puchong.

Let's see whether Leow Thong Lai, Ling Hee Leong, Wee Kah Seong and other top MCA Youth leaders would dare to show up on Friday's demonstration. Their absence would only goes to show that the Friday demonstration is at best a local voice of resentment and it has nothing to do with MCA per se. A friend of mine in Puchong has described the Friday outing as a " sandiwara".

It will be interesting to note whether the Puchong MP Liew Yin Pin from Gerakan would show up. The State Assemblyman for Kinrara Dr CW Ko (MCA) may have no choice but to show his face. Reporters have to be quick if they wanted his comment or take his photograph. (One thing for sure, you would not be able to find any Umno leaders on Friday's outing because all these toll concessionaires were owned by Umno or Umno-related companies.)

Or may be all of them have gone overseas for holiday (a good excuse not to show up). Just like the eight ministers from Johor who were no where to be seen during the massive floods in the south last week.

Let' see how many MCA Youth members will show up on Friday. BTW, MCA is a party with more than one million members, the third largest Chinese political party in the world according to MCA President Ong Ka Ting.

Some of us will be there to recce the place because the Coalition Against Toll may be holding a demonstration at the same toll plaza on Sunday 7 Jan 2007. The coalition is submitting a protest memorandum to the Prime Minister office today. We will be also holding a ceramah on the issue of toll hikes at the Chinese Assembly Hall tonight. Speakers include MTUC President Syed Shahir, Suaram Executive Director Yap Swee Seng, DAP SG Lim Guan Eng, PSM Chairman Dr Nasir Hashim, President of Keadilan Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Deputy President of PAS Nasharuddin Mat Isa.

(27/12/2006)