Ka Ting, Tsu Koon and George Chan  should explain and publicly apologise if they cannot convince Abdullah  to fully respect Chinese New Year celebrations and not to dissolve Parliament to kick off general election campaign until after Chap Goh Mei (21^st Feb) 

The general election is one step nearer with  two further developments: 

• the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi declaring that he now has “inspiration” for the 12^th general election although he has not fixed the date;
• the announcement by the Election Commission secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor that the main electoral roll, including those who registered as voters throughout last year, will be gazetted today.

A fly in the ointment in all the hype and escalation of preparations for the impending 12^th general election is the spoiling of the spirit and mood of the Chinese New Year beginning on Thursday by a possible dissolution of Parliament in the midst of the Chinese New Year. 

There is very strong speculation that Parliament will be dissolved to kick off the 12^th general election campaign during the Chinese New Year period itself – with the 8^th day of Chinese New Year (14^th Feb) even mentioned as the likely date for the dissolution of Parliament.

Abdullah should give a public assurance that the Chinese New Year celebrations would not be marred by the dissolution of Parliament and the kick-off of general election campaign – and that any dissolution of Parliament will only be after Chap Goh Mei on Feb. 21.

The MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers and leaders should impress on the Prime Minister the importance and significance of allowing the Chinese New Year festivities to be completed before the dissolution of Parliament and the kickoff of the general election campaign.

MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, Gerakan Acting President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and SUPP President Tan Sri Dr. George Chan should explain and publicly apologise  if they cannot convince Abdullah  to fully respect Chinese New Year celebrations and not to dissolve Parliament to kick off general election campaign until after Chap Goh Mei (21^st Feb). 

If Ka Ting, Tsu Koon and George Chan cannot even convince Abdullah on such a small though significant matter, what can Malaysians expect from them on larger and more important matters affecting the community, the state,  the nation and future generations?

If Parliament is dissolved during the Chinese New Year before Chap Goh Mei, public apologies from these three Chinese leaders in the Barisan Nasional  would be in order – especially as this appears to have become a season of apologies.

The Prime Minister should be reminded of the offence  last year when the Umno general assembly was held during Deepavali, a shocking display of insensitivity of the diverse races, religions and cultures in plural Malaysia.

UMNO leaders, branches and members would be the first to take offense if MIC, MCA, Gerakan  or SUPP should hold their national delegates’ conferences on Hari Raya Aidilfitri  for instance – underlining the insensitivity of Umno leaders in giving offence to Hindus and all right-thinking Malaysians in holding the Umno general assembly last year on Deepavali Day.

This insensitivity of the diverse and great cultures and religions which have found confluence in plural Malaysia should not be repeated by dissolving Parliament during the Chinese New Year.

The ball is now in the court of Abdullah, Ka Ting, Tsu Koon and George Chan.

* Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, MP for Ipoh Timur & DAP Central Policy and Strategic Planning Commission Chairman