Despite its worst ever election results in history, MCA has yet to learn any lesson. The Chinese party thinks it can win back people’s support, i.e. Chinese voters, by continuing to play up racial sentiments, especially against multiracial DAP.
Perhaps some of its leaders are happy being the champion of some 20% ethnic populations instead of working together for a common goal with people of various ethnicities in this country. Perhaps they are still in the mode of kleptocratic “Malaysia Lama”.
Lest we forget, MCA was almost wiped out in the recent general election. It only won one parliamentary seat and two state seats. MCA leaders need to be reminded that those seats were actually won with very slim majorities, and with UMNO supporters’ votes, not the Chinese voters.
Why did the Chinese Malaysian voters reject MCA? Because the voters rejected UMNO-Barisan Nasional’s racial politics that the MCA was a part of; because they rejected corrupt, kleptocratic regime of Najib Razak; and also because they wanted a Malaysia Baharu.
Lau Chin Kok, MCA’s Publicity Bureau Deputy Chairman, in his press statement, vilified the DAP for not behaving like MCA and also questioned Senator Liew Chin Tong’s stance that DAP is a multiracial party and that Pakatan Harapan is people oriented. Lau claims that Pakatan Harapan is ‘pro-bumiputera and is expecting DAP to attack Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s proposed Bumiputera Economic Congress, and urges DAP to organise a Chinese Economic Congress. This irresponsible statement means that he wants to fight fire with fire, never mind such a fire will burn everyone.
It is sad that Lau has failed to understand the economic reality, in particular the needs of the needy. He doesn’t even understand that Pakatan Harapan government is reviewing a lot of things today for benefit of all Malaysians. Some may involve painful measures yet they are necessary for the benefit of the many, not the few.
It has been 61 years since we have achieved independence and MCA wants to continue the politics of racial segregation. It doesn’t understand that majority of voters have rejected such notion.
DAP is truly a Malaysian party. It is part of the Pakatan Harapan government that wants every Malaysian to share the cake of our economic success, although no thanks to the previous regime, we have to work harder to get our economy back on track. It is the effort of every single Malaysian, regardless of race and religion.
MCA and other BN parties as well as former BN component members need to come to terms with reality. Besides disassociating themselves from the previous kleptocratic government, they should embrace Malaysia Baharu – a common Malaysian future of building the country together.