'Tis the nature of the beast

Malaysiakini - MCA's Chua changes tune on bumi equity issue.

Hardly surprising to read of Chua Soi Lek backing down from his earlier call for the 30% bumi equity to be gradually removed - which actually had been a right call. But alas, as they say, it’s in the nature of the beast, where the MCA beast is that of a lap dog called to heel and swiftly obeying.

I have always believed in affirmative action to lend a hand to the weak and less fortunate, to take them along with us down the road towards a better life. But it should be based on a 'needs basis', to be determined by a number of criteria including asset testing.

It's terrible that one should only benefit from favoured treatment on the basis of skin colour rather that of needs.

The recent call by Tony Pua for the abolishing of the housing discount for Malays for purchases of residence above a price tag of RM500,000 was an excellent example of indirect ‘asset testing’. If a Malay can afford a house of above RM500,000 why the hell should he or she require a discount other than by the sick argument that he/she has the correct kulit-fication (skin colour).

The discount is meant to enable poorer Malays to be able to afford and acquire housing and a fair examination of Tony Pua’s call will show clearly his proposal didn’t extend right down to the less costly houses. In other words, Malays purchasing houses of not more than RM500,000 will continue to enjoy the legislated discount.

But trust UMNO to ignore this fact and attack Pua for wanting to do away with the policy of housing discount for Malays completely. Talking about the nature of the beast, the UMNO one has this modus operandi, that of telling deliberate lies designed to either frighten or anger the heartland against political competitors, who could actually represent the Malays more sincerely, effectively and respectivefully without treating them like convenient political tools to be used when needed and discarded when not - picture the FELDA settlers.

A fair and colour-blind affirmative action will still ensure the less fortunate Malay would deservedly receive assistance and support from the government to ensure they may better their lives. And the fewer but equally impoverished Indians and to a lesser extent, Chinese, will similarly enjoy the ‘needs basis’ government support.

The non asset-tested 30% equity is nothing more than an open cheque for the UMNO elite to plunder the nation’s wealth while the poor Malays in the heartland continue to be poor, and then be told lies that their poverty has been due to the avaricious rapacious Chinamen.

By his cowardly belakang pusing, Chua Soi Lek has shown the real character of MCA, namely its eternal subordination and cringe to UMNO, which has long being despised by the Chinese community - recall the paltry 9% Chinese support for Chua as a community leader.

Chua made even worse the adverse impression of his back down by his sycophantic crooning to the PM. MKINI reported: Chua said the party thanked the prime minister for the advice, which he said was in line with the BN's vast experience in dealing with issues of common interest.

Indeed the so-called ‘BN's vast experience in dealing with issues of common interest’ has always been consistent in: U Must Not Object to its policy, whims and fancies, in this case to the 30% bumi equity, even if it’s well known that some bumis will immediately sell off the equity (shares etc) the moment they have been handed that.

The elitist and self-interest rule of UMNO, abetted by its subordinate cronies like MCA and MIC, has been made more apparent by the example of the current Penang State government which has taken pains to be thrifty and more efficient so that some of the savings could be translated into financial subsistence for the more senior citizens (of all ethnic groups) to enjoy, and recently, also to the Muslim state civil servants as special Raya bonuses to ameliorate their Raya expenses in these hard times.

No doubt the last action must have driven UMNO mad with jealousy and worries about a DAP-Pakatan government becoming more and more acceptable to the Malay community that they have launched into an insidious campaign to demon-ize Lim Guan Eng in the eyes of the Malays, using lies about untoward mosque sermons involving Lim.

It shows that UMNO is so desperately bankrupt with policy ideas that once again it has resorted to religio-racist bigotry, using its sinister formulaic mantra of raja, agama dan bangsa against Lim. 'Tis the nature of the beast.

And sadly PM Najib, for all his 1Malaysia talk, has subscribed to the evil campaign by calling for an investigation into allegations fabrications that mosque sermons in Penang had replaced the Agong's name with that of Lim Guan Eng.