Slamming Harapan, Wee tells Chinese not to put all their eggs in one basket

 

In a speech peppered liberally with barbs aimed at the ousted Pakatan Harapan government, MCA president Wee Ka Siong called on the Chinese community to give his party another chance and not put all their eggs in one basket.

Wee cited Harapan's time in power when the country’s economic development stagnated, while many beneficial megaprojects for the people were terminated.

"Its leaders kept busy selling off the country’s assets and kept pushing the blame on the previous government, without any plans to develop the economy.

"Not only did it create a mess, but it also ruined the original order and damaged the existing mechanism," Wee said in his opening address for his party's 67th annual general meeting (AGM) which is being held online this year due to Covid-19.

His party is also celebrating its 72nd anniversary since its founding on Feb 27, 1949.

In his speech, Wee took aim at long-time rivals DAP and claimed that the various mistakes made by the Harapan government led to tensions in interracial relations.

"In the 14th general election, only a minority of Malay voters supported Harapan. Even though DAP received 42 seats, it kept making mistakes until the emotions of the Malay voters became unsettled.

"They continued to walk on the edge and when they had failed to fulfil their election manifesto, they just kept looking for excuses to cover their failures," he said. 

"I sincerely hope that the Chinese community will give us an opportunity by not putting all their eggs in one basket but instead, allow a balanced political development between the ruling coalition and the opposition.

"This is to make sure there will not be a situation whereby all other ethnic groups are present in the government, except for the Chinese," said Wee, adding that he believes racial friction was the biggest contributor to the previous government’s failure.

Wee took over the helm of the party in 2018 following a disastrous showing in the last general elections where MCA went down to just two parliamentary seats from a peak of 31 in the 2004 general elections.

The Ayer Hitam MP told members that they must get support from the entire nation and not just from a particular ethnic group.

"Since the founding of MCA, even though we are a Chinese-based party, our approach has always been to serve and care for the entire nation.

"In the coming 15th general election, it is no longer a one-to-one fight. We must look for suitable partners to fight with us and to take the multicultural approach," Wee said. 

The transport minister added that MCA will continue working with BN for the upcoming polls to ensure it continues its path of inclusiveness, adding that the party has always given its best in pushing for political development.

It also wants to be the agent of muhibbah to maintain good interracial relations in the government.

"Do let MCA have voices in Parliament and state assemblies and be given negotiation power to solve people’s problems. This will prevent the Chinese community from being marginalised in mainstream politics," said Wee, who touted the party's one minister and four deputy minister posts.

"Even though the Perikatan Nasional government is ruling with a simple majority, most of its cabinet members are those with prior experience in government.

"In the past year, we have ensured that the country is well managed, giving emphasis to major issues in education, social affairs, public health, security, and unity to ensure that the country’s development and administration are on the right track," he said.

Even though MCA is now part of the ruling coalition, Wee added that the situation is different as it is no longer a BN-led government.

He noted that with the 15th general election looming, it is a crucial time to observe the people’s opinion because it will also determine the destiny of the party.

He also told those who wished to be candidates in the next polls to take practical steps and not just "make noise".

"To our party, facing the next general election is more important than overcoming any other challenges,” he concluded. - Mkini