MCA's Ti: Muafakat Nasional is more inclusive than Malay Dignity Congress

Muafakat Nasional is about give and take, respect and inclusiveness and it is a concept that stands in stark contrast to 'Bersatu's Malay Dignity Congress', says MCA's Senator Ti Lian Ker.

Ti (photo, above) was asked about the increasingly close cooperation during campaigning for the Tanjung Piai by-election, which has seen MCA sharing the stage not only with long-time Barisan Nasional partners Umno and MIC, but also with PAS.

"The Muafakat Nasional is a concept to move Malaysians forward. It recognises our multiculturalism, plurality and upholds the constitution.

"We are now being overly divided along racial and religious divides and differences with political narratives from the Pakatan Harapan government, despite it promising otherwise," Ti told Malaysiakini.

"This is the way forward for New Malaysia... especially when Bersatu has chosen to hijack the New Malaysia aspiration of non-racial approaches, as promised by DAP’s Setapak declaration (made in 1967) of a Malaysian Malaysia cutting across race and religion," he added.

Ti expressed his belief that the "Muafakat Nasional is more inclusive than 'Bersatu's Malay Dignity Congress."

However, it should be noted that while Bersatu leaders were present at the congress and its members were part of its organisation, it was also attended by leaders from Umno and PAS, as well as PKR and Amanah.

Ti said that while the vast majority of Chinese voted for a change of government, the Harapan administration has used the state apparatus to organise a race-based economic convention in its first year and followed that up with a controversial convention on Malay dignity.

It was notable that in his opening speech at a BN-PAS ceramah last Wednesday, MCA president Wee Ka Siong referred to Muafakat Nasional as a form of opposition solidarity.

MCA Youth chief Nicole Wong (photo) also addressed the campaign crowd yesterday with "Salam Muafakat Nasional," before adding that the concept of Muafakat Nasional is for the opposition to work together towards something better.

However, Ti declined to respond drawn directly to the claim by PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan that the Muafakat Nasional charter clearly states that Umno also means BN, MCA and MIC, and PAS means Gagasan Sejahtera, Berjasa and Ikatan.

Asked if PAS and MCA were now coalition partners, Ti said: "This is a hypothetical question.

'We can also stand with DAP on issues...'

"We can also stand with DAP on the same platform on issues like UEC, etc, to pressure the government. But does that make us a coalition?"

He said that MCA was open to working together with those who wanted to promote inclusiveness and tolerance.

"MCA is formed to work together with any party that subscribes to the principles of tolerance, compromises and inclusiveness.

"It is this spirit of moderation and consensus-building that has been the key towards the nation’s success all this while," Ti added.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Wong said: "We have never mentioned about (a) coalition. That is different. But the concept of Muafakat Nasional is leading us to a good direction.

"All the opposition parties are practising under this concept to strengthen the opposition side."

The Tanjung Piai by-election campaign shows clear progress in cooperation among the parties, which hit a low in March when MCA and MIC said they were in favour of moving on and "exploring a new alliance".

This was in response to remarks by then BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz, who was reported to be calling for the closure of vernacular schools. - Mkini