(Petaling Jaya, Monday): MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting is wrong to say that continuing to concentrate all Chinese support in MCA would enable MCA succeed in helping the Chinese community to get more government scholarships, build more Chinese primary schools and get more development allocations for new villages. Instead of only making racist appeals, setting up and strengthening institutions of democracy and good governance is more effective in protecting the rights of the Chinese community and all Malaysians.  

Concentrating all Chinese support for MCA is no different from supporting the discriminatory policies of BN such as the racial quotas and New Economic Policy(NEP) as well as unfair treatment of non-Malays by treating them as non-bumiputeras. Such divisive policies has severely affected national unity and resulted in massive corruption that caused both Malays and non-Malays to lose out. 

The NEP also alienated and angered many non-bumis who could not understand why they had to sacrifice for the wealthy bumis. Non-Malays are not angry with the NEP for helping poor Malays. Neither are Malays incensed with the NEP for helping poor non-Malays. What all Malaysians are furious with the NEP is that the NEP is used as a tool of crony capitalism and patronage to enrich the wealthy. 

How can Ong say that MCA has succeeded in getting more scholarships for Chinese students when more than 80% are given to Malays with the remainder 20% divided between Indians and Chinese? Non-Malays comprise nearly 35% of the population and yet receive only 20% of scholarships in contrast to rich Malays who receive scholarships. 

As for building new Chinese primary schools, Ong’s empty promises sound hollow compared to MCA’s achievements. Nowhere in the world but in Malaysia would the government reduce the number of Chinese primary schools by 4.3% from 1,346 schools in 1970 to 1,288 schools in 2006 when the number of students increased by 45% during the same period.  

Based on the needs, Dong Jiao Zong estimated 134 new primary Chinese schools and 836 acres of land are required. Neither MCA nor Gerakan has come out openly in support of building 134 new Chinese primary schools to prove that Chinese education in Malaysia is not marginalized.  

From 1970 to 2006, it is estimated that the country saw an increase of 2,900 national schools whilst 58 Chinese schools and 134 Tamil schools were closed down. 58 Chinese primary schools were closed down during the last 36 years or a reduction of 4.3% from 1,346 in 1970 to 1288 schools in 2006. However during the same period, the number of students in Chinese primary schools increased by 45% or 196,443 students from 439,681 in 1970 to 636,124 students in 2006.  

This is ridiculous and blatant discrimination or marginalization of Chinese primary schools. Nowhere in the world except Malaysia, would the number of schools reduce by 4.3% even though the number of students have increased by 45%. From 1999 to 2006 the number of new Chinese primary schools increased by 5. DJZ estimated that based on approval of an extra 5 new Chinese primary schools for every 7 years, it  will take 188 years, or 47 elections, before the required new134 schools will be completed.

Is 1.4% or RM 500 million allocation for development funds for new villages fair when they comprise 12.6% of the rural population and should receive RM 4.44 billion?

As for Ong getting RM 500 million development funds for 452 new villages and 1.25 million villagers in 7 ½ years as Minister for Housing and Local Government, this is not a success but  a failure. What is RM 500 million compared to the total amount allocated for rural development under the 8^th and 9^th Malaysian Plans?  

Under the 8^th Malaysian Plan from 2001-2005, the government allocated RM 21 billion. And RM 28.4 billion under the 9^th Malaysian Plan 2006-2010. Assuming that funds were equally spent throughout the 9MP, the total amount allocated for rural development would be RM 35.2 billion during the last 7 ½ years. For new villages to be allocated RM 500 million for development, which is a mere 1.4% of what is given to kampungs. 

Is Ong proud of his achievement in getting only 1.4% of rural development funds? There are 1.25 million people in new villages which are part of Malaysia’s total rural population of 9.9 million in 2005. In other words the 1.25 million new villagers make up 12.6 % of the 9.9 million rural population.  DAP challenges Ong Ka Ting to state whether there is equality and justice that new villages get 1.4% of the rural allocation when they make up 12.6% of the rural population. 

How can RM 500 million be adequate over 7 ½ years for 452 new villages when they should receive 12.6% of the total rural development allocation of RM 35.2 billion which is RM 4.44 billion? Clearly RM 500 million allocation for development funds for new villages is unfair as compared to the RM 4.4 billion they should be receiving as they comprise 12.6% of the rural population. 

For this reason, MCA and Ong has failed to secure equal treatment and fair distribution of economic resources to the Chinese community. In a multi-racial country like Malaysia, we should be fighting for the interests of all communities. The only way to do so is to democratize our government by strengthening opposition parties like the DAP, uphold rule of law as well as ensure an efficient and transparent civil service that delivers to ensure that all Malaysians are not left out and left behind.