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DAP Perak fully support the CEC decision requiring DAP Terengganu members to quit PAS appointed political posts
 

Press Statement
by
Ngeh Koo Ham

(Ipoh, Monday): DAP Perak fully support the CEC decision requiring DAP Terengganu members to quit PAS appointed political posts. 

We must never accept the implementation of an Islamic State in Malaysia just because we are accommodated in the Government. This is because in an Islamic State non-muslims are discriminated against in various forms. DAP must always stand firm on her belief that there must not be any discrimination based on race or religion. This belief is true and sound and it is enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948 as the inalienable rights of any person.

 

MCA has sold the Chinese rights in accepting the discrimination against non-bumiputra in our country in exchange for its minor role in the BN Government. MCA has 4 Ministers out of 27, 7 deputy Ministers out of 29 and 1 Parliamentary Secretary out of 14 in the BN Government. MCA leaders enjoy some personal benefits at the expense of the whole Chinese community in Malaysia.

 

A very clear example where the Chinese community in Malaysia has been side-lined due to this discrimination against non-bumiputra is in the field of education.

 

The percentage of bumiputras in public institutions of higher learning at the moment is 71% while the non-bumiputra constitute only 29%. The percentage of 62.6% of Bumiputra in public institution of higher learning quote by the ministry of Education did not take into account the various places in institution of higher learning reserved exclusively for bumiputras.

 

UTAR was set up and the publicity MCA generated was to mislead the Chinese community that it has done much for the education of the Chinese. The whole MCA  was mobilized to raised fund for the UTAR for the past few years and RM200 million has . been collected. The publicity given seems to give an impression that MCA is the only party that is able to build a private university. This is misleading. In fact there are now 15 other private universities that are in operation while UTAR has yet to start on the construction of its campus. The other 15 private universities had started without much fanfare and their  operators did not need to come out publicly to declare how grateful they were to the previous prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad like what MCA  President, Dato’ Sri Ling Liong Sik did.

 

The people must realize that apart from the 15 private universities there are also 17 government funded 17 public universities or university colleges. There are also over 600 private colleges now in operation in the country.

 

UTAR is but one of the many universities in the country. The Chinese under MCA has been sidelined, having to donate and support their own education even though they have contribute the most taxes to the country. MCA should fight for a fair representation of the Chinese in public universities and university colleges which will save them much of the education cost as these universities and universities colleges are highly subsidised by tax payers money.

 

MCA should follow the DAP in ensuring that all citizens in Malaysia are not discriminated against base on race or religion.

(1/12/2003)


* Ngeh Koo Ham, DAP Perak State Chairman