DAP: Under BN dynasty, power considered a ‘birth right’

GEORGE TOWN, June 5 — Under Barisan Nasional’s (BN) over half-a-century-old “dynasty”, children follow their elders into politics to ensure their families stay wealthy and in power, a DAP leader alleged today.

This power, said Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik, is considered by BN leaders a “birth right” to be held through their continuing rule of the country.

“In the BN, children follow their parents into politics not to contribute and sacrifice but to continue to reap the plunder of the nation and to keep the money to themselves,” he said in a statement today.

Ng, who was responding to MCA vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung’s claim that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) practises “dynastic politics”, said it was BN that has been holding on to its dynasty of power for generations.

Unlike BN, he claimed, the families that are politically-connected in PR enter politics to contribute and make sacrifices for the nation and are willing to face persecution together “for the rights of Malaysians.”

“(DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng was sent into the ISA (Internal Security Act) and prison after entering politics. Would any father (DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang) want to see his son in prison? Of course not!

In the BN, children follow their parents into politics … to continue to reap the plunder of the nation and to keep the money to themselves. — Ng Wei Aik

“[But] the families of the BN are just there to continue the wealth and rule the country as if power is their ‘birth right’,” he said.

Ng pointed out that Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the country’s present prime minister and Umno president, is himself the son of Malaysia’s second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak.

He noted that Home Minister and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is the son of the country’s third prime minister Tun Hussein Onn and the grandson of Datuk Onn Jaafar, Umno’s founding member.

Umno Youth deputy chief and deputy minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, he added, is the son of the country’s longest serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Apart from the trio, Ng also pointed to Labis MP Chua Tee Yong, who is the son of current MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek; Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin, the son of former Gerakan president Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik; and Umno’s Pulai MP Nur Jazlan, who is the son of former Cabinet minister Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat.

“The BN is the one continuing the dynasty of power, not the PR. Why isn’t the MCA condemning Umno for this practice?

“The DAP urges all Malaysians to judge the hypocrisy of the BN for themselves,” he said.