Former MCA president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek says the present leadership was too weak and if the Chinese-based party wants to remain in Barisan Nasional, it should have convinced Umno to stop the ‘red shirt’ rally. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 26, 2015.
The Pasir Gudang MCA Youth leaders who decided to cut ties with Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the prime minister’s support for the September 16 “red shirt” rally should resign from their posts to preserve their “moral and political integrity”, former party president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
Speaking to The Malaysian Insider yesterday on issues which have plagued MCA in recent times, Dr Chua said the division leaders were seeking their five minutes of fame.
The central leadership did not act against the Pasir Gudang MCA Youth over its decision to cut ties with Najib over the “Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu” or “red shirt” rally on Malaysia Day.
MCA had opposed the rally but Umno, while not endorsing it, did not condemn it. Several top Umno leaders also attended the rally.
Pasir Gudang MCA Youth chief Cia Cow Hui said a few days after the rally that the division’s boycott of Najib remained until the prime minister and Umno president took legal action against those who used racial slurs at the rally and who held up racist banners.
The decision was criticised by Umno leaders, with some asking MCA to leave the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.
Dr Chua said the party must have some sort of discipline.
“They made a stand and became heroes for five minutes, and then the party made a stand on the issue – obviously, they didn’t agree (with Pasir Gudang MCA’s stand).
“Then they should resign to show that they have moral and political integrity. This shows they only went for five minutes of popularity.”
Pasir Gudang MCA recently said it considered the matter resolved.
Despite failing to persuade Umno to condemn and prevent the September 16 rally, which was marred by racial slurs, MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said on Thursday that MCA would not leave BN.
But Dr Chua said for MCA to remain strong in BN, Liow must exert stronger leadership, adding that the party president could have done a lot more to prevent the September 16 rally from taking a racial form.
“Before the BN Supreme Council meeting, there was also the Cabinet meeting and the BN management committee meeting. In these meetings, everyone is honest with each other and very down to earth.
“He could have sat in the meeting and said, okay, this is a rally for the government, for (Najib). He could have said MCA and Gerakan, too, will mobilise people so that the rally does not become so racial, as it did.
“That would have meant a multiracial crowd,” he added.
Dr Chua said Liow could not pretend like nothing has happened, adding that MCA was being confronted by major problems.
“How do you confront these issues if you don’t make a stand?” he asked, saying that Liow was an “indecisive and weak” leader.
He also described Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Jamal Md Yunos, the man behind the rally, as a “minority” in Umno.
“I have been a division chief for 28 years and I can tell you that a majority of Umno leaders are moderate. People like Jamal are a minority. But because of his slogans, he gets five minutes of fame.”
He added that the damage caused by the rally, which was held to counter to Bersih 4, and to uphold Malay dignity, “cannot be undone”.
Instead, he said, Liow must insist that the government and Umno act against Jamal for threatening to hold another rally at Petaling Street.
“Liow could have seized the opportunity, and said we should not let this man go wild and that MCA and all right-minded Malaysians want Jamal to be investigated and charged.
“He should make use of his cabinet position. He should have insisted that Umno take disciplinary action against this man.”
Dr Chua, however, said the crowd at the rally was a minority and influenced by some Umno leaders who wanted to be heroes.
- TMI
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