Chinese groups to replace MCA? Who ??

The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) criticised before that under the leadership of MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, the party has been detached from Chinese groups and associations. As a result, Ong and Chinese groups have become hostile to each other. And recently, MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek criticised that Chinese groups have intervened the party's affairs. It seems like MCA is getting farther and farther from Chinese groups.

Is it true that as Dr Chua said, the influence of Chinese groups is limited? It is difficult to have a standard answer for the question. But there are about 7000 Chinese groups in Malaysia. If there are 100 members for each group, it will be 700,000 people. Is it possible that MCA does not need the 700,000 votes? In addition, Chinese groups, Chinese education and Chinese language newspapers are said to be the three pillars of the Chinese community. Even if young people nowadays no longer join any Chinese group, the government still attaches importance to Chinese groups. Can MCA, who relies on Chinese groups to survive, abandon Chinese groups?

After the outbreak of MCA party crisis, Chinese groups expressed their concern to avoid harming the Chinese community's interests. But MCA Central Committee members value their own interests more than the interests of the whole community. They have disappointed many Chinese groups and people, causing them unwilling to talk about it.

However, MCA leaders do not know that the crisis is fast approaching. Instead, they are still engaged in the political game of criticising and attacking each other, fighting over the date for a fresh poll and dividing party positions and interests among themselves. MCA founders will sure be frustrated if they know about it.

"And MCA has been absent from all these incidents."

In recent days, we have many incidents related to the Chinese community, including the start of China ASEAN Free Trade Zone, the “Allah” word controversy, the increment of Bahasa Malaysia lessons in Chinese primary schools, the use of Bahasa Malaysia to teach new subject “Malaysia, Negaraku” in Chinese primary schools, the requirement to raise up to 80% of the construction cost for relocation and extension, a total of 100 teachers who do not understand Chinese have been assigned to teach in Chinese primary schools and the argument to have a single stream educational system. And MCA has been absent from all these incidents.

The government is taking cost-saving measures while prices for sugar and bread have been increased, but MCA does not state its stand. The Prime Minister will soon bring up a new economic model and the 10th Malaysian Plan for economic reform. The Home Affairs Ministry will also bring the Internal Security Act (ISA) amendment proposal to the Parliament, but MCA is not concerned at all.

MCA President's platform is to fight economy, politics and racial harmony. Are the above-mentioned affairs not related to economy, politics and racial harmony? Who will be concerned about the survival crisis faced by Chinese small and medium enterprises? And MCA has forgotten about the difficulties faced by Chinese education.

Today, MCA leaders handle only affairs of their respective departments. They inspected the Light Rail Transit (LRT), hospitals and schools in order to account to the Prime Minister. They can no longer gather Chinese groups and educational organisations and communicate with UMNO ministers like how they did it in the past.

In such a case, Chinese groups can only rely on their own. For example, the ACCCIM is going to hold the “1Malaysia economic Conference” to deliberate on the 10th Malaysia Plan, as well as the prospect and challenges of Malaysia's transformation to become a high income economy. Prime Minister is expected to officiate the conference.

Meanwhile, Hua Zong or the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (FeCAM) recommended the establishment of a special committee to study various issues concerning the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and brain drain of Chinese students. It had also submitted a “letter of intent” listing various problems faced by the Chinese community to the Prime Minister.

The Chinese groups are now doing the work for MCA, how could MCA still criticising them? In such a situation, how could Chinese not to think and find their own way out? (By LIM SUE GOAN/Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)