Overcome weakness first, MCA told

Chinese associations have urged the MCA to stop being subservient before deciding to hold government posts again.

PETALING JAYA: Chinese non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said MCA should reform and rid itself of its subservient attitude before taking up government posts.

“Without reforming, the party will have little or no impact if its leaders were to hold government posts again,” they told FMT today.

Several Chinese bodies have intensified calls for MCA to hold government posts again during the party’s meeting with 58 Chinese NGOs yesterday, citing that several issues plaguing the Chinese community are not resolved due to the absence of MCA.

In response, MCA deputy president Liow Tiong Lai has promised to review the “no-government-post” stance with the party’s central committee later.

Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies chairman Chew Saw Eng, who attended the meeting yesterday, said the NGOs had also conveyed a clear message that MCA should cease playing the role of “firefighter.”

“Now it seems wherever there is a fire, MCA is putting it out,” she said, referring to MCA’s frequent move in helping to quash the racist statements or policies made by Umno leaders.

“But we don’t want this. We want MCA to play an influential role in policy-formulation,” Chew said.

Citing the National Education Blueprint 2013- 2025 debacle, she said MCA had failed to urge the government to take heed of the Chinese educationists’ views.

“It is said to be implemented by September but until now we have yet to hear any of our suggestions being taken into account,” she said.

The Chinese educationists have criticised the drastic increase in the frequency of Bahasa Malaysia lessons in Chinese-type primary schools, the abolition of remove classes and priority to the national-type schools as put forward in the draft report released last year.

Don’t expect major impact
Association of Graduates from Universities and Colleges of China Committee member Shai Ching Han said it was more important for MCA to resolve its internal problems than to contemplate joining the government again.

“MCA will face a heavier responsibility should it re-enter the cabinet because as it is, the party is left with only one post, that of transport minister.

“So if it remains what it is today, I don’t expect it to produce a major impact,” he said.

“Besides, as a BN component party, it cannot be saying that there are no other channels for it to voice its opinions,” he added.

Shai said the timing of talks to rejoin the government, which is near the party elections, would give the impression that MCA leaders only cared about government positions.

Meanwhile, Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities committee member Siow Chee Min supports MCA’s plan to hold government post again, saying that the community has been encountering obstacles since the party’s exit from the government.

He said although not all the MCA leaders performed well the last time, some of them still did their jobs.

“But I also hope that they will be more vocal when speaking up for the community,” he said.

MCA has declined all government posts after a dismal showing in the recent 13th General Election.