Chinese Malaysians cannot change the govt, says ex-MCA chief

Tan Yih Pey Tan Yih Pey Updated 6 years ago · Published on 24 Mar 2018 11:00AM · 7 Comments

Former MCA chief Dr Chua Soi Lek says the Chinese will not be represented in government if every Chinese voter votes for the opposition, and that the Chinese vote is not enough to change the government in the 14th general election. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, March 24, 2018.

CHINESE Malaysians, who constitute 23% of the population, should recognise that they cannot change the government in the 14th general election, former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

Dr Chua said Malaysia was still in a “Malays first” paradigm, and that change ultimately lay with the majority ethnic group, something the political veteran said parties like Umno and Bersatu understood.

“Although there was a ‘Chinese tsunami’ in the last general election, the government can’t be changed solely by Chinese votes,” he told The Malaysian Insight, referring to the 2013 elections which saw Chinese support for the ruling Barisan Nasional erode further after the coalition lost its super majority in Parliament in the previous election in 2008.

MCA is BN’s lead ethnic Chinese party. It suffered its worst electoral outing in 2013, winning only seven out of 37 parliamentary seats and 11 out of 90 state seats it contested. In comparison, its opposition rival DAP won 38 out of 51 parliamentary seats and 95 out of 103 state seats it contested.

MCA is said to have some 1.09 million members and is the second largest component party in BN. However, only 661,469 Chinese voters (18.4%) voted for BN in 2013, while 2.92 million (81.5%) voted for the now-defunct opposition bloc Pakatan Rakyat.

Dr Chua, who was MCA president during the 2013 election, said the Chinese should “vote wisely” given their minority status.

He said if every Chinese voter were to support the opposition, the Chinese community would have no representatives in government. The Chinese make 29.68% of the voting population.

“How do we change the government just by Chinese votes? We are nothing but 23% of the population. How is that possible? Most Malays from the older generation to the middle-aged see Umno as the party that stands for their status and religion. This is a fact that can’t be changed.”

The MCA veteran said Malay leaders understood this and as such focused on the Malay community in their statements and in policies.

“All Malays want to enjoy special Malay rights. Non-bumiputera parties fight and quarrel but still stay in the same bubble; no matter how you oppose each other internally, we still have to accept the political reality that the country is governed by Malays,” the former health minister said.

MCA, Dr Chua said, had suffered from the perception that it was an Umno proxy, and was ineffective in addressing the community’s concerns about the economy, corruption, and governance.

He added, however, that DAP had failed to be a check and balance against Umno.

He said that it could not assume the role of leader among its other opposition allies in Pakatan Harapan, and had handed the reins to other parties.

Malay-based parties like Bersatu and PKR had fewer seats than DAP in Parliament, yet play a more dominant role in the opposition pact, he said.

He also criticised DAP’s “lack of principles” for embracing former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whom they had criticised in the past.

Dr Mahathir is PH chairman and is the opposition’s prime minister-designate should it win the 14th general election.

“In the past, DAP spoke of curbing Umno’s power and told voters to (support their fight against Umno). How about now? They’re now in the same boat with Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin (Yassin), who are working intimately with them. Don’t forget, these people are from Umno.”

Dr Chua, who had been in politics during Dr Mahathir’s administration, said the Chinese must remember that Bersatu, which the former prime minister chaired, was ultimately a Malay party that fought for Malay rights.

He said Dr Mahathir was “out of date” while PH itself was beset with problems it had not yet resolved, and as such, the opposition pact would not incite Malay voters to turn against BN in the coming elections. – March 24, 2018.

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Comments

  • A very foolish comments fom a sex predator.!!! The Chinese in Malaysia are not that shallow in thinking and not knowing what is in store for them. Get it right and do not spin a racist isinuation alluding that the Chinese are anti- establishment of a majority Malay Government. The Chinese DO NOT WANT to change the Malay Government but will not support a corrupted and prejudiced Government. Supporting that is just braking up their own rice bowl where years after independence the contributions and hard work are never seriously accepted and commended except on occasion of needs where lip services and empty rhetorics are a plenty without sincerity. If the UmnoBN government were to treat the nons with respect and not denying the basic livelihood by their sole improper traits of greedily gnawing fully into the cake and steadfastly in the selfish actions of implementing absurds or atrocious lopside rules to favour only their majority race is a sure to face a dwindling support. MCA a party of insignificance with the purpose of only to make up the number in the coalitions became a lap dog to the aghast and disgust of the community and sparring no let up by furthering the shame and miseries of the party leaders shenanigan in enriching themselves .The Chinese needs not such party representation in the Government to continue their miseries. Actually the Chinese, Indians and Malays are very much still working hand in hand in the PH set up for a better Malaysia and acknowledging the set up where the Malays who are majority will always be the leading Governence but with fairness all around. There is no animosity within the different communities in PH and all for a very focus grit to save the country and bring up a harmonius society to weather the future on slaught which do not differentiate by race color or creed. The current UmnoBN are a spent force to make any more changes as they have shunned the opportunites to do so by their extremist behaviour in all aspect. The extensive corruptions and blind prejudices have completely engulfed them to see a Malaysia of Malaysian

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • That is why he gave excuse for his sex scandal that Malay can kahwin 4. This is his logic for his bad behaviour

    Posted 6 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Blowjob King , stop telling us how to vote
    May be you can tell us about your blowjob experience
    And adultery

    Posted 6 years ago by Harytan456 Tan · Reply

  • Haha! the GE14 prove him wrong! very wrong!

    Posted 5 years ago by Vib wis · Reply

  • Chinese Malaysians cannot change the govt, says ex-MCA chief but they just did!

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • Who says Malaysians cannot change the gomen?

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • Dr. Chua, you no longer speak for the Chinese. Why worry if Malays are in power if they are fair! We, Chinese, are fistly Malaysians, though you yourself don't know that because you acted cowardly when in the government then, to protect what gains you have then.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee mh · Reply