Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuching DAP Forum released at DAP Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 1^st May 2011: 

If the Chinese community submit to UMNO's and Chua Soi Lek's threats and vote for MCA for fear of losing Chinese representation in government, the winning MCA elected representatives will not be beholden to the people but beholden to UMNO 

MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and MCA should be condemned for their reckless and desperate racial politics that has given UMNO the opportunity to up the racial ante and deepen racial polarisation in Malaysia. If the Chinese community submit to UMNO's and Chua's threats and vote for MCA for fear of losing Chinese representation in government, the winning MCA elected representatives will not be beholden o the people but beholden to UMNO.

What is the point then of electing wakil rakyat's who neither listen to the people nor do the people's work but will only listen to UMNO and do UMNO's dirty work of corruption and abuse of power. What hope is there for Malaysians, if BN, UMNO and MCA are allowed to continue to steal our children's future?

Clearly Chua is now the historical culprit because his reckless political gamble to claw back lost political support has assisted UMNO top leaders to demonise the Chinese community. Chua's political gamble has also resulted in UMNO top leaders jumping in with the twin racist strategy of threatening the Chinese community with losing representation in government whilst inviting PAS to join UMNO in BN to form a grand coalition of racist and extremist Malays.

The invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to PAS to join BN is not only a betrayal of 1 Malaysia but also a naked attempt to cling on to power by pitting Malays against non-Malays. By also threatening the Chinese community with losing representation in government, UMNO has indicated that MCA¡¯s representation is decided by UMNO regardless of their performance. After all whether MCA wins or lsoes big in general elections, MCA still retain the same 4 minor Ministerial posts.

Chua should not to be a sore loser by playing into UMNO's racial politics but instead respect the verdict of the Sarawak people, calling for change with an end to Taib's Rule and corruption as well as implementing good governance. No amount of threats or fear can hide the fact that BN lost support with the popular vote going downby 8% from 63% in the 2006 general elections to 55% on April 16 because the people had enough of corruption,poor governance and Taib's misrule.

Instead of addressing the real message for hope and change by Sarawakians from all races, Chua had tried to distract or cover up the real causes by suggesting that SUPP should withdraw from the state Cabinet following SUPP losses in 13 of the 19 seats in the recent Sarawak state election. However Chua could not respond when challenged why he did not practice what he preached by directing MCA Ministers to withdraw from Cabinet or that the sole MCA State EXCO member withdraw from Perak and Negeri Sembilan State EXCOs.

Instead of directing MCA Ministers or the State EXCOs to withdraw now, Chua is threatening to do so if MCA loses at the next general elections. What is the point of just withdrawing from Cabinet when you do not withdraw from BN? Voters are voting against BN as this is the symbol and not MCA's symbol when contesting in elections. If Chua is sincere, he should direct MCA to withdraw now and also announce that MCA would withdraw from BN if it loses again in the next general elections.

Otherwise this is another desperate and dishonest tactic of fear to intimidate and frighten the voters. Such a tactic goes against the basic tenets of democracy of the freedom to choose without fear of favour. Unfortunately this has also deepened racial polarisation by giving UMNO the opportunity to show that they are ultra-Malay defenders by inviting PAS to join UMNO in BN.

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