Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang posted on his personal blog a couple of queries regarding what he termed as ‘a currently very strange phenomenon in the Barisan Nasional’, and all due to the Hindraf affair, which Malaysiakini has informed us, has culminated in the government misusing its authority to charge some Hindraf supporters with attempted murder – for crying out loud!
Lim said while Samy Vellu vociferously denied that the Malaysian Indians had been marginalized, leaders of MCA and Gerakan apparently thought otherwise.
Lim showed that MCA National Vice President and Health Minister Chua Soi Lok had twice called on the government to be responsive to and address the sense of alienation, discrimination and deprivation of the marginalized Indians.
I have also read the letter by Dr Toh Kin Woon of Gerakan to Malaysiakini, titled I disagree with the country's leaders.
According to Malaysiakini Dr Toh is a member of Gerakan and Penang state executive councillor for Economic Planning, Education, and Human Resources Development, Science, Technology and Innovation.
Lim then ask: “The question is why some MCA and Gerakan leaders are prepared to admit that there is serious marginalisation among the Malaysian Indians, which is strenuously denied by the MIC leadership, when MCA and Gerakan Ministers and leaders are not prepared about the marginalization of the Malaysian Chinese – as they were the most ferocious in attacking Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew when he made the remark about the marginalization of the Chinese in Malaysia not so long ago.”
“Is this solely because MCA and Gerakan leadership are more worried than MIC leaders about the electoral effects of the marginalization of the Malaysian Indians and their frustration when their “cry of desperation” is totally ignored – as there are at least 24 Parliamentary and 38 State Assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where Indian voters are more than 10% and can lead to the defeat of Barisan Nasional candidates?”
My take is that the Lee Kuan Yew's assertion was far too dangerous at that particular point in time for the Malaysian Chinese based parties in the BN to even consider, hence they rejected it straightaway. But if Lee KY were to say it now (which I doubt he will) I believe they may regard it or exploit it differently as they have with the Hindraf affair.
To put it in crude terms, the MCA and Gerakan are now bloody sh*t scared they will be annihilated in the coming election, because they see UMNO going on a course which is only to UMNO’s own interest rather than the BN’s.
Also, they sure as hell don’t like the secret UMNO-PAS which carries an awful stench of Ketuanan Melayu conspiracy and the frightening spectre of more aggressive Islamisation. Recall how Chinese based parties getting together got them instead into Kem Kamunting via Ops Lallang?
I doubt the MCA and Gerakan would be that concerned about Indian votes when their principal support, the Chinese votes (other than those already lost to DAP) appear to be slipping rapidly away over to the opposition camp. And it’s the Federal seats that they are concerned about.
Apart from Dr Toh (Gerakan) and Chua Soi Lok (MCA) coming out to voice their concerns, mainly for Chinese eyes and ears rather than for UMNO’s, I have noted that Wong Chun Wai’s column in the Star Online has also been (mildly, of course) critical of the government’s heavy handed action against Hindraf.
Wong CW’s article One for all and all for one started off as follows:
It is important for all of us to treat the concerns of our Indian brethren as a Malaysian problem. It is not an Indian issue but a Malaysian issue.
It’s the most important criterion in leadership – the ability to listen to what your workers or voters have to say. It does not matter whether you are running a country or a company. Great leaders are simply great listeners.
Extraordinary men and women, especially those in politics, solicit feedback, listen to opinions and act on that intelligence. They will tell you that differences in opinion have nothing to do with dissent.
Wong CW is the top editor of the Star Online which is owned by the MCA, so his column indicates the discomfort - in fact, I am too euphemistic – it ought to ‘stressed’, so yes, the bloody stress of the MCA with what’s in store for them in the coming GE because of the UMNO’s selfish behavior which has been undermining their (MCA's) credibility with their own ethnic community ...
... or, should it be AAB and his cohort's selfish parochial manoeuvrings to ensure Malay support in the face of their (UMNO) own unmitigated corruption, nepotism, cronyism, mismanagement and pissed poor performance, divisive behaviour that's giving the Coalition 'body' a bloody bashing.
Yes … which has been why I wasn’t all that excited with Dr Toh’s letter unlike the general exuberance of others … though of course I welcome it.
It is not only MIC which is scared of teh backlash at the General Election. It is not only MCA which is scared of the backlash at the General Election. It is not only GERAKAN which is scared of the backlash at the General Election. It is UMNO itself which is scared of the backlash at the General Election ! Hence it needs the tenure of the EC Chairman to be extended by another year which will fall within the date of the General Election.
ReplyDeleteBERSIH 's march on 10th November was for a FAIR and FREE Election. Countries overseas where democracy still prevails , at least on paper, have called for " free and fair elections", Pakistan, Burma, Philippines, Indonesia, to name a few. When power has been in the hands of a few leaders for years on end, and they are used to the tarppings, privileges, etc of such a power, they are unwilling to let go of power, whenever their grip on power slipping!
But one point they have missed in the equation of power, and that is the POWER of the PEOPLE. PEOPLE power had toppled leaders in the Philippines. PEOPLE POWER had toppled leaders in Indonesia. PEOPLE POWER had toppled leaders in Pakistan. PEOPLE POWER had toppled leaders in India. PEOPLE POWER had toppled leaders in Thailand.
So, leaders who do not care for the CRIES of DESPERATION will know their fate when PEOPLE POWER exerts itself at the General Election!!!
malaysia08
Just imagine a scenrio where at the next General Elections UMNO gets a dribbing but still has the most number of seats, PAS and DAP gain substantially and MCA,MIC and Gerakan and Keadilan get a sacking. UMNO finds that BN on its own has lost the two-thirds majority. But PAS now sees that it can finally push towards its ultimate objective of getting its Caliphate. UMNO also sees that its two-third majority that its been so used to can be had with a marriage with PAS.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine a UMNO/PAS coalition with two-thirds majority in parliament without any MCA/MIC support?
Of course we have all heard of all the bickering between PAS and UMNO. But that is mostly show. PAS, despite its Islamic credentials, finds in its perverted logic that ketuanan Melayu and everything that that entails sits comfortablly with Islamic principles.
The fact that they too can be deceitful is clearly seen when you look at the Islamic State document they proudly launched after the 1999 elections. When they found that it was working against them, they were quite willing to set it aside. Like denying that such a document actually exists even. They want us all to forget that document and vote them in believing that PAS has abandoned the idea of surrendering the country to a bunch of unelected Ulamak!