MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek has urged the Chinese community not to punish the government for the verbal excesses of Malay rights NGO Perkasa, led by Ibrahim Ali.
He said the community should not over-react, because Perkasa's views do not represent the BN stance on issues.
“I would say that Perkasa's statements can anger the Chinese. We can imagine the Chinese reacting very negatively towards Perkasa,” he told a press conference at MCA headquarters today.
“But they should not react negatively to the government, because Perkasa is not in the government.”
Chua - who had traded barbs with Ibrahim only last week over the latter's support for a 'May 13' gathering - also urged the community not to “dignify” the Pasir Mas MP by reacting to his antics.
“The more we react, the more dignified he gets, and the more important he becomes. It is the prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak) who leads this nation, not Ibrahim Ali.”
Chua acknowledged that Perkasa's vitriol against the Chinese community had dented BN's campaign in the Sibu by-election, which handed DAP an unexpected victory last Sunday.
He dismissed Ibrahim's characterisation of the Chinese - many of whom voted against BN in Sibu as well as the Hulu Selangor by-election previously - as “ungrateful”, alongside the call to the government to 'punish' the Chinese by withholding development.
Citing Ibrahim's defeat in the Malay-majority seat of Pasir Mas during the 1999 general election, Chua noted that the Malays were perhaps ungrateful to the government then.
Acknowledging the slide in support for the MCA from the Chinese community prior to and since the March 8, 2008 general election, Chua said this was most likely because many voters are no longer concerned solely with bread-and-butter issues.
Increasingly, he pointed out, they are asserting their views on social issues such as fairness, justice, good governance, access to education and scholarships, career mobility, the judiciary and the crime rate.
“These are the issues that trouble the Chinese when it comes to implementation,” said Chua, who called on the government to be more consultative in taking action as well as in formulating policies.
He said many civil servants who act like 'little Napoleons' have raised Chinese ire against the government.
'MCA still relevant'
Asked about the swing of Chinese votes away from BN in Sibu, Chua said BN component-party member SUPP should carry out a post-mortem on the matter.
“MCA has no branch nor office there, so we are unable to get people-to-people's contact the way we have in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Nonetheless, Chua argued, MCA is still relevant to the Chinese community in raising issues with the government.
“We just have to fine-tune (some things). We have confidence that, under our prime minister, the policies of the government will slowly be reflective of the wishes of the rakyat, including the Chinese community,” he added.
He said the community should not over-react, because Perkasa's views do not represent the BN stance on issues.
“I would say that Perkasa's statements can anger the Chinese. We can imagine the Chinese reacting very negatively towards Perkasa,” he told a press conference at MCA headquarters today.“But they should not react negatively to the government, because Perkasa is not in the government.”
Chua - who had traded barbs with Ibrahim only last week over the latter's support for a 'May 13' gathering - also urged the community not to “dignify” the Pasir Mas MP by reacting to his antics.
“The more we react, the more dignified he gets, and the more important he becomes. It is the prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak) who leads this nation, not Ibrahim Ali.”
Chua acknowledged that Perkasa's vitriol against the Chinese community had dented BN's campaign in the Sibu by-election, which handed DAP an unexpected victory last Sunday.
He dismissed Ibrahim's characterisation of the Chinese - many of whom voted against BN in Sibu as well as the Hulu Selangor by-election previously - as “ungrateful”, alongside the call to the government to 'punish' the Chinese by withholding development.
Citing Ibrahim's defeat in the Malay-majority seat of Pasir Mas during the 1999 general election, Chua noted that the Malays were perhaps ungrateful to the government then.Acknowledging the slide in support for the MCA from the Chinese community prior to and since the March 8, 2008 general election, Chua said this was most likely because many voters are no longer concerned solely with bread-and-butter issues.
Increasingly, he pointed out, they are asserting their views on social issues such as fairness, justice, good governance, access to education and scholarships, career mobility, the judiciary and the crime rate.
“These are the issues that trouble the Chinese when it comes to implementation,” said Chua, who called on the government to be more consultative in taking action as well as in formulating policies.
He said many civil servants who act like 'little Napoleons' have raised Chinese ire against the government.
'MCA still relevant'
Asked about the swing of Chinese votes away from BN in Sibu, Chua said BN component-party member SUPP should carry out a post-mortem on the matter.
“MCA has no branch nor office there, so we are unable to get people-to-people's contact the way we have in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.Nonetheless, Chua argued, MCA is still relevant to the Chinese community in raising issues with the government.
“We just have to fine-tune (some things). We have confidence that, under our prime minister, the policies of the government will slowly be reflective of the wishes of the rakyat, including the Chinese community,” he added.
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