MCA’s Perennial Habit – Can they change?

1. Every time there is a general election or a by-election, MCA’s perennial habit was to make an exacting and huge demand from the government (UMNO); failing which, an ultimatum was issued. A recent and relevant example was about the recognition of UEC as reported in Nanyang Siangpao.  If refused, the government must be overthrown!

2. With the by-election of Hulu Selangor around the corner, the same primitive strategy is adopted. The same UEC issue is echoed by MCA and the Chinese Community as reported in The Star.

3. Apparently, MCA is using the same old tool; perhaps, this time, at the instigation of this author (read here) and the like:

“In order to perform better than the former president, Dr Chua can no longer use de-politicisation strategies. Instead, he should be courageously fight politics. The more he can get from Umno, the more he can increase his own political chips.”

4. It looks the MCA President’s KPI is only linked to the amount of extraction he can get from UMNO. Oh, God!

5. Being such, should the government (UMNO) continue to entertain this kind of ultimatum? After all, “Most observers expect the majority of the Chinese votes, which make up 26.3 per cent of the total [in Hulu Selangor], to go to PR.”

6. They just want to extract more and more from the government (UMNO) but will not vote for BN. Hence, the issue of recognizing the UEC should not be rushed just because of Hulu Selangor by-election. It must be studied very thoroughly. Decision must not be made under duress.

7. What is most disheartening is Lim’s immature and self-centric behaviour of blaming UMNO for the MCA’s dismal performance in 2008 general election, condemning the conservative Malays and grossly failed to admit MCA’s own weaknesses:

“Umno is the main factor of MCA’s great defeat in the 8 March general elections. If Najib is able to suppress the conservative right-wing forces and voices within the party and create a more harmonious political atmosphere, then Dr Chua will be more than equal to the challenges.”

8. Lim should look carefully at the 2008 election results. MCA, Gerakan and MIC candidates only won in Malay dominated areas or where the Malay voters are more than 35%. Does Lim understand what those results meant? According to a Malay proverb “jangan jadi kacang lupakan kulit” (literally translated… don’t be like a bean that forgets its skin).

9. Regarding the so-called conservative forces, Lim should also looks at his own race’s backyard. It seems that the Chinese are increasingly becoming more chauvinistic and kiasu. Dong Jiao Zong, for example, has this terrible image. Can Lim do something about it in order to “create a more harmonious political atmosphere”?

10. It can be done if MCA and MIC can produce reincarnated liberal Tun Tan Siew Sin and Tun VT Sambanthan respectively. The Malays already have a liberal leader in DS Najib.