Press Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary- General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in Seremban on Wednesday, August
Dr. Mahathir’s Bukit Mertajam speech heralds the end of MCA’s right to choose its own leaders or decide its own future
The Bukit Mertajam speech by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, yesterday is very significant, for it henalds the end of MCA’s the end of MCA’s right to choose its own leaders or decide its own future.
Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir said that “enery Barisan component party leader must readily accept the decision of the majority, of the parties’ administration as well as the administration of the country.
It is open knowledge that the Barisan Nasional leadership is none other than the UMNO leadership. The principal officials of Barisan Nasional are UMNO officials- the BN President is Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, the BN Secretary- General Ghaffar Baba and the BN Treasurer Daim Zainuddin. But even more important, the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council is only a rubber stamp for the decisions of the UMNO Supreme Council.
The BN Supreeme Council had never been called to discuss policies or issues among the component parties but would remain dormant until it is summoned by UMNO to provide the Barisan Nasional stamp of approval for decisions taken by UMNO- as previously, to expel PAS from Barisan, or USNO from Barisan, or now, to dictate to MCA as to who should be the leadership and its future political direction.
What is sad is that only 40 months ago, the MCA had proclaimed that it had the support of the Malaysian Chinese in the 1982 general elections and had achieved a great political ‘breakthrough’ for the Malaysian Chinese.
Is this ‘political breakthrough’ the total surrender of the right of self- determination, not only of its leadership, but its policy and future political direction to UMNO, although disguised as a Barisan Nasional decision?
What is even more sad is that such a development is gleefully welcomed by MCA leaders of the Tan Koon Swan faction whose main attack on the Neo Yee Pan MCA faction is its failure to stand up to UMNO for Chinese rights and interests inside and outside the Cabinet.
The Malaysian Chinese are entitled to ask how could a MCA leadership set up virtually at the behest and dictate of UMNO leaders be expected to speak up and strive fearlessly for the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Malaysian Chinese whom they claim to champion.
No wonder in the last 40 months, despite the ‘great political breakthrough’ of the MCA in the 1982 general elections, there was the greatest erosion of the people’s rights over a whole range of issues.
The Tan Koon Swan MCA leader, Datuk Lee Kim Sai, presented himself as a ‘race hero’ by going round the country as MCA Youth Leader shouting ‘Return our Race Pride’. Is this the way Lee Kim Si and the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction is ‘Restoring Our Race Pride’?