Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 4^th May 2011: 

MCA's "empty fortress" an empty threat as MCA has never resisted the temptations of privilege and perks associated with posts and positions to fight for principles of right and wrong 

The swearing-in of Datuk Lee Kee Shin as Sarawak assistant infrastructure development and communications minister yesterday has exposed the BN's "empty fortress" strategy to frighten the Chinese voters to vote for BN or else there will be no Chinese representation in government as an empty threat. This empty nest strategy is hoped to force the Chinese community to turn and run away from DAP.

Clearly such threats are made before elections but when posts and positons are offered after elections, as happened to SUPP Datuk Wong Soon Koh and Datuk, BN leaders will never be able to resist the temptation of the perks and privileges available to fight for principles of right and wrong. What is sad is that MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek had allowed both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin to racialise the Sarawak elections results instead of a democratic call for change.

No one believes MCA would carry out its threat to reject positions or posts should the voters reject MCA again at the next general elections. After all if voters have rejected BN, why is it that MCA dare not withdraw from BN? Whether MCA wins big or loses big in general elections, MCA would continue to be given 4 minor Ministerial posts.

Just like Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who promised during the 2008 general elections that he would reject any back-door appointment as Senator to become a Minister or SUPP's Datuk Wong Soon Koh and DAtuk Lee who secretly accepted their appointments in defiance of their party, no MCA leader would reject the opportunity for such high posts that they have been fighting for all their political career.

Chua Soi Lek has been exposed as an unprincipled leader by ex-MCA President Datuk Ong Tee Keat for Chua not practicing what he preaches by directing its sole Assemblyman and EXCO in Perak or Negeri Sembilan to resign. Neither has Chua the courage to direct its 4 Ministers in Cabinet to resign as MCA lost badly in the 2008 general elections. This agains confirms MCA's struggle is not about principles but for positions, not fighting for the people but for posts.

After all, it has proven time and time again that whether or not MCA is represented in Cabinet makes no difference as MCA as merely puppets of UMNO. Issues affecting Malaysians are ignored and corruption allowed to run rampant until RM888 billion of illicit or "black" money was secretly and illegally taken out from 2000-2008.

When UMNO made a unilateral decision to invite PAS to join BN, MCA dare not protest UMNO's dictatorial decision as undemocratic. And yet MCA dares to threaten Malaysians for exercising their democratic rights not to vote for MCA.

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