Media statement by Lau Weng San in Petaling Jaya on Thursday, 23^rd February 2012:

Rosmah Mansor attended Perkasa dinner, what say you MCA?

The fact that the Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor recently attended a dinner held by Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (PERKASA) shows that the Barisan Nasional (BN) Government is secretly supporting PERKASA. What is most unfortunate is the fact that to date the MCA is still unwilling to openly severe its ties with PERKASA.

PERKASA has always been an extreme and racist organization since its very inception. They often hide under the guise of Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) when in fact they are nothing more than UMNO's peripheral organization. The fact that the Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor attended PERKASA's fund raising dinner shows that the Prime Minister Najib and his administration secretly endorsing extremism and racism. The notion of 1Malaysia as promoted by the Prime Minister is just a sham.

Unfortunately to date MCA is still unwilling to stay clear of PERKASA by prohibiting its members to participate in activities held by the same. Is this not equivalent to MCA supporting PERKASA inflicting harm upon the Chinese community with its extremist actions and speeches? MCA and its President Dr. Chua Soi Lek in particular owe the Chinese community a reasonable explanation with regards to the conduct of the Prime Minister's wife in attending PERKASA's dinner.

PERKASA has on more than one occasion made extreme and racist remarks hurting the non-Bumiputera community. PERKASA's President Ibrahim Ali even gave out white Ang Pows to Chinese old folks during the last Chinese New Year with the intention of challenging the Chinese taboo. Not only did MCA not criticise such conduct by Ibrahim Ali, its President Dr. Chua Soi Lek even stood up for the same saying that he did not do it on purpose. However, the fact remains that Dr Collin Tiew, the MCA member who recently resigned from all party positions did inform Ibrahim Ali that giving white ang pow is inappropriate and yet he chose to ignore this.

This goes to show that Ibrahim Ali's action was indeed intentional and yet Dr. Chua Soi Lek of MCA keeps condoning PERKASA's extremist conduct. What is the reason behind this? Is it because MCA itself supports PERKASA's extremist approach, so much so that it felt reluctant to prohibit its members from associating with PERKASA or even to sever its ties with the same? What, we may ask, is the relationship between MCA and PERKASA?

To add insult to injury, MCA Kampung Tunku Liaison Office Kelvin Chong Seng Foo once demonstrated with PERKASA's ex-youth leader Arman Abu Hanifah in the protestation against one of the State Government's proposed development in Sungai Way Free Trade Zone (FTZ). MCA's leaders, be it state level or otherwise, also participated in demonstrations held by PERKASA, one of it being the Anti-Pakatan Selangor Protest held on 3rd of December 2010.

Enough is enough. Although MCA has in the past openly criticised PERKASA, MCA and Dr. Chua Soi Lek have never officially reprimanded PERKASA's conduct and remarks. It has also failed to prohibit its members from continuing to participate in activities held by PERKASA. This begs the question of whether MCA and PERKASA are indeed secretly colluding with each other.

MCA President Dr. Chua Soi Lek has criticised DAP during the last debate with DAP leader Lim Guan Eng, that the DAP is attempting to use Chinese control Chinese and establish a two-race political system, but what we can see is that the Prime Minister Najib remain silent for Perkasa, whilst at the same time talk about so called moderate governance during festival at Fo Guang Shan.

This is showed that BN and Najib is the ultimate supporter of Perkasa, talking about moderate way in front of Malaysian Chinese, then secretly endorsing and even supporting Perkasa's extremist agenda, this is what we called a two-race political system. MCA is just a servant of UMNO. UMNO is using MCA to govern the Malaysia based on different races, this is the real Chinese control Chinese, thus the real two-race political system.

* Lau Weng San, DAP Selangor State Organizing Secretary & SA for Kampung Tunku