Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 14^th June 2011: 

No difference whether MCA is inside government or not when MCA leaders dare not object inside Cabinet but oppose outside 

DAP is not surprised at the expose by Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri that MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek did not object to diesel subsidy cuts during the National Economic Council(NEC) meeting when the matter was decided. Ismail even scolded Chua for being unfair to the BN government for siding with the C2-class fishing trawler operators protesting against the increase in diesel prices from RM1.25 to RM1.80 instead of defending the government.

Has Chua got the guts to deny and demand that Ismail Sabri withdraw and apologise for making these allegations?

Ismail pointedly said that Chua should have raised his concerns during the NEC meeting instead of letting his party leaders complain now through the media. In other words Ismail has exposed Chua for playing a double-faced sandiwara of opposing the diesel subsidy cuts outside but supporting inside.

What then is the use of Chua threatening to pull out MCA from government if they lose the next elections, when now in government MCA dare not fight for the rights of the people. There is no difference whether MCA is inside government or not when MCA leaders dare not object inside Cabinet but only dare to play the hero by loudly opposing outside to the press against the diesel subsidy cuts and abuses in the PSD overseas scholarships awarded to top students.

Yesterday in Parliament, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz dismissed claims by MCA of abuses of power by PSD officers in selecting overseas scholarships for top SPM students. Nazri rejected MCA's demands by saying that there is "no evidence" proving there was such abuses by PSD and it is not the government's policy to reveal the results of successful scholarship holders.

This is contrary to MCA and Chua's demands that all top students be given overseas scholarships and that the full scholarship list be made public. MCA should explain not only the MCA Ministers acquiescence of Cabinet decisions and meetings made against MCA's stand above, but why MCA still continue to cling on to public office despite such open humiliation disclosing the complete irrelevance of MCA's role in government.

For this reason, very few believe MCA will carry out its threat to pull out of government should they lose in the next general elections. Like SUPP leaders who defied party authority to accept Ministerial posts, we are certain that MCA leaders will quickly snap up at any opportunity, including through back-door appointment, for the public posts they have been craving for their entire lives.

*Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan