Time for the Chinese to dump their own Datuk T trio - MCA, Gerakan, Umno

Since the 12th General Election, more and more Chinese have ditched the likes of MCA, Gerakan and SUPP, losing faith and confidence in their ability to speak up for the aspirations of the community. Growing dissatisfaction over issues of inequality, discrimination, racist policies and statements shrank the relevance of these BN parties by the day.

Whether they realized or not, Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Umno party rubbed further salt into the wounds of Chua Soi Lek and Koh Tsu Koon when they recently renewed their flirtation with PAS.

The Prime Minister openly asked PAS to withdraw from the Pakatan Rakyat, hinting at the possibility of an UMNO-PAS coalition instead. The message he gave was that MCA and Gerakan were 'useless' in the eyes of the UMNO elite, and Najib is willing to sacrifice the two parties in order to accommodate PAS and grab the Malay electorate.

Yet, Chua and Koh have remained silent, perhaps knowing that any public disagreement would offend their boss. Even those times when UMNO leaders lambasted the Chinese, accusing them of disloyalty and even going to the extent of asking the community to ‘go back to China’, MCA and Gerakan kept silent as the grave.

Malay leaders from the opposition spoke up for the community

In fact, it was the Malay leaders in PAS and PKR who leapt to the defence of Malaysian Chinese by criticizing such Umno-instigated claims. Needless to say, this added to the enormous shame on MCA and Gerakan for failing to protect the welfare of the Chinese.

UMNO, knowing full well the cowardliness of its allies especially the vulnerable MCA, has recently upped its attack on its partner. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz escaped any form of disciplinary action for taunting MCA as an abused wife who refused to divorce her spouse. Believe it or not, Nazri was actually lauded by his party for his no-nonsense approach.

Perkasa, led by UMNO kingpin Mahathir, also humiliated MCA when its leaders demonstrated and chanted abusive statements within the vicinity of the MCA headquarters with the blatant blessings of the police force.

Many are shocked to see MCA and Gerakan remain intact in Barisan Nasional after all the abuses, humiliations and taunts. How can they stand it? Why do they grovel to such a level? Don't they have any pride?

Powerful questions, but sad to say, the answers are pretty sordid. A check on the number of minister posts and senatorships held by both parties explains it all. MCA and Gerakan are currently holding a combined total of 5 ministerial and 9 deputy ministerial posts. On top of that, 13 senators from both parties were appointed to the Dewan Negara.

These appointments were made despite their dismay performance in the 2008 general elections, when MCA was left with only 15 parliament seats although they contested 40. Gerakan won only two seats.

Yet heavyweights from both parties who lost in the elections were appointed to the Cabinet via the backdoor method of making them senators. The most striking example is certainly Gerakan president, Koh Tsu Koon. Koh and other backdoor ministers in MCA and Gerakan are still enjoying the full benefits that come from their appointments, and are therefore reluctant to voice out any demands to UMNO.

If Chua Soi Lek is indeed sincere in his statement that MCA will pull out from the Cabinet if the party suffers a similar defeat to that in 2008, he should do it right now. He should ask all MCA’s ministers, deputy ministers, senators as well as exco-members of the BN state governments to resign. However, this is highly unlikely as his own beloved son, Tee Yong, is part of the coterie of ministers.

Such a move would also anger many other MCA leaders or aspiring leaders. The fact is many MCA leaders have an ultimate and ulterior aim when they joined politics. It is not to serve the welfare of the people, but to secure a high-paying post either in the Cabinet or government-linked companies.

Dead and gone

In fact, it may be fair to say there are hardly any genuine members in MCA and Gerakan today who would be willing to fight for a better future for the Chinese and other minorities under UMNO rule. Otherwise, they would have spoken up a long time ago.

It is also telling that Chua Soi Lek deemed it necessary to assure UMNO rather than his community of where MCA's future would lie. "Our stand is to be with Barisan through thick and thin. We also are very confident in our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's leadership."

To recipocrate Soi Lek's expression of devotion, Najib in turn told the Chinese to vote MCA or be unrepresented in the government. Needless to say, both the PM and Soi Lek were crucified by the community for shameless 'blackmail'.

Perhaps after so many decades in power, it is inevitable that MCA and Gerakan have turned into business networks or commercial associations for people who aspire to be millionaires. As the phrase goes, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Come next general election, chances are high the Chinese will ignore the threats conveyed by Najib and Chua Soi Lek. This will be a good development and a right step in the evolution of our Malaysian society.

The Malaysian Chinese can take pride that despite their smaller numbers they are taking the lead in embarking on the new journey that our Malaysia needs to take if it is to survive and grow, and not implode and collapse due to corruption, racial and religious extremism.

- Malaysia Chronicle