Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng in Melaka on Friday, 25^th January 2008:

MCA’s confidence in recapturing most DAP seats signals the danger of an end to the limited democracy left in Malaysia should UMNO succeed in “zero opposition”

Despite public perception that the coming 12th general elections favour opposition parties, MCA Deputy President Datuk Chan Kong Choy in Ipoh yesterday takes the opposite view that MCA can recapture most of the parliamentary and state seats held by DAP. MCA’s confidence in recapturing most DAP seats signals the danger of an end to the limited democracy left in Malaysia should UMNO succeed in its “zero opposition” objective.

The “zero opposition” objective is the brainchild of UMNO Senior Vice-President and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam, who said that BN is confident of recapturing the two opposition state seats in Melaka held by DAP in Kota Laksamana and Banda Hilir. If this general elections favour opposition parties, the first parliamentary seat in the country to fall to the DAP should be Kota Melaka as it was won by MCA and BN with the smallest majority of 219 votes in the last general elections.

If DAP can not win back Kota Melaka, then there is no hope of winning any new seats that were won by BN with even higher majorities. UMNO’s confidence of achieving “zero opposition” despite growing anti-government sentiments can not be dismissed because of UMNO’s success in abusing the 3Ms of money politics, government machinery and control of the mass media. Added with the active assistance from the Election Commission (EC) following the extension of Tan Sri Abdul Rashid’s tenure as EC Chairman last year, UMNO is willing to spend, frighten, threaten and even cheat their way to victory.

UMNO’s determination to achieve their “zero opposition” objective exposes both Gerakan and MCA’s lies that DAP is “using Chinese to fight Chinese” by contesting against MCA. Gerakan and MCA has not disagreed with DAP that UMNO is DAP’s real enemy and has even tacitly agreed that UMNO’s dominance is a real threat to democracy for Malaysians in general, including the Chinese community. This was highlighted by Gerakan Secretary-General Datuk Chia Kwang Chye who said that DAP “bully the good but fear the evil” by taking on Gerakan but not UMNO. And MCA Youth Secretary-General Wee Ka Siong who used a proverb conceding that UMNO is the source of all the problems.

Unfortunately MCA and Gerakan still supports and works closely with UMNO despite their silent acknowledgment that UMNO’s dominance is a real threat to democracy for Malaysians in general, including the Chinese community. How can MCA and Gerakan on the other hand recognize the threat posed by UMNO but yet on the other hand is willing to become their surrogate, lackey and agent in blindly supporting UMNO divisive and discriminatory policies?

The people will not fall for MCA/Gerakan deception and trickery when they know that the time has come to reduce UMNO’s political dominance. What is most unprincipled is that when DAP fights MCA/Gerakan for being a lackey, surrogate and agent of UMNO, MCA labels DAP as “using Chinese to fight Chinese”. In fact MCA/Gerakan is “shouting thief when they are the thief” when it is UMNO that uses “Chinese to fight Chinese”. Unlike MCA/Gerakan which is beholden to UMNO, DAP is answerable only to the people.

UMNO and BN got 91% parliamentary seats in the last general elections on promises of justice, wiping out corruption, greater political freedoms and respect of rule of law not the highest income inequality between rich and poor, worsening corruption, ISA detention and the Lingam video-clip scandal. DAP believes that the people can see that a vote for MCA/Gerakan is an additional voice and vote for UMNO. Since Chan Kong Choy and Ali Rustam are so confident of recapturing DAP seats and achieving “zero opposition”, the people must not vote UMNO/MCA/Gerakan not only to oppose UMNO but to ensure the survival of democracy in Malaysia.

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* Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General