A DAP lawmaker criticised MCA and MIC for keeping a poker face over their electoral ally PAS’ ambition to rid the country of gambling, especially after Umno also endorsed the agenda.
According to Kampar MP Chong Zhemin, the BN component parties’ continued silence is even more unacceptable after Umno supreme council member Razlan Rafii said his party had no problem with eliminating gambling and that the necessary laws could be amended if there was sufficient political support to do so.
“For days, MCA leaders issued long statements attacking me, accusing me of stirring up the issue and explaining how a government cabinet works.
“Yet they have repeatedly refused to answer one simple question. Does MCA support or oppose a nationwide blanket ban on gambling? MIC has also remained silent,” he said in a statement.
With Umno making its stand clear, Chong (above) said the issue was no longer confined to PAS, but had become a serious policy question for any future BN-PN government.
“If BN and PN form the next federal government, PAS will push for a nationwide ban, and Umno has already indicated that it has no objection to that objective. MCA and MIC must therefore tell Malaysians what they will do.
“Will MCA and MIC oppose a nationwide gambling ban? Will they insist that existing lawful activities for non-Muslims remain protected?
“Will they make this a non-negotiable condition before joining any future BN-PN government? Or will they accept the PAS agenda once BN and PN have enough seats to form the government?” he asked.
Chong emphasised that answering these questions was crucial because MCA and MIC could no longer claim that the ban was merely hypothetical.
Noting that MCA had repeatedly said government policies must be decided collectively by the cabinet, the DAP MP said this was meaningless if MCA refused to clarify whether it would vote for or against such a policy in the cabinet should BN-PN come to power.
“MCA cannot ask Malaysians to trust it to provide checks and balances against PAS while refusing to state a clear position before the election.
“If MCA is already so afraid to say that it opposes PAS now, when PAS is not yet part of the federal government, how can Malaysians believe that MCA will have the courage to oppose PAS after forming a government together and becoming dependent on PAS MPs for parliamentary support? The same question applies to MIC,” he added.
Protecting rights of non-Muslims
Pointing to MCA and MIC’s claim that the parties could represent the interests of Chinese, Indian, and other non-Muslim Malaysians within BN, Chong said that position must now be tested against a real policy issue.
“Malaysia is a multiracial and multireligious country. Muslims have religious obligations that must be respected. At the same time, the federal government must protect the constitutional and legal rights of Malaysians who do not profess Islam.
“MCA and MIC must stop hiding behind procedural arguments and political excuses. They must state clearly whether they support or oppose a nationwide blanket ban on gambling. If they oppose it, they should say so directly.
“If they continue to remain silent, Malaysians are entitled to ask whether MCA and MIC are more afraid of losing PAS and Umno support than they are prepared to defend the principles they have always claimed to represent,” he added.
Chong was responding to Razlan’s interview with Malaysiakini, in which the Umno leader said his party had no qualms about supporting the ban because people of all races and religions opposed gambling. - Mkini
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