Time for Chua Soi Lek and MCA to pull out from the BN

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

Fresh from drawing fire from the Chinese community for perceived cowardice, MCA president Chua Soi Lek is now getting whacked left, right and center by Malay leaders in Umno and PAS , who are upset that he has blamed them for undermining Malaysia’s economic potential.

PAS leaders, who sit on the opposite side of the political divide, have accused him of involving their party because he was too afraid to hit out at Umno alone. They minced no words, describing him as being desperate to stem his sliding popularity with the Chinese.

But harsh though their words may be, it was Umno leaders like Khir Toyo who delivered the real killer blow. The former Selangor MB, in disgrace due to a slew of corruption allegations, spitefully suggested that Chua was trying to make people blame Islam. What a sure fire way to turn even the smallest storm in a teacup into a full-blown tornado!

“This is very dangerous. People might start blaming Islam because of what he said… they might blame Islam and say that corruption in the country is rampant because of the religion,” Malaysian Insider quoted Khir as saying.

Most Chinese would agree with Chua

What did Chua actually say to create such a commotion? “When Umno and PAS use religion to strengthen their influence, we can see that some non-progressive policies are made and that the country has been trapped as a middle income nation for more than 10 years,” Chua had told an MCA convention in Kedah.

So basically, what the MCA president was saying was that because of the Umno and PAS tendency to play up religious issues to win over Malay voters, it has led to “non-progressive” policies which have resulted in the entire nation suffering the effects of economic underperformance.

Is this true? Ask any non-Malay, especially the Chinese, and don't be surprised as many as 9 out of 10 would agree - and absolutely too! Umno should commission a survey if it doesn't believe this is so.

But that’s not the point. What is most important now for Chua to note because this is what all the other Chinese in the country are noting is the total disrespect that Khir and his colleagues have shown to him, the MCA and the Chinese community by extension.

None of his Umno colleagues appear to have spared any thought as to how tough the MCA predicament must be given the changing times and having to work under a "bully" boss like Umno. All that Khir and his ilk are interested in is how they can further slaughter Chua and his party to maximize their own brownie points with their community.

Only one way to fight and that is all the way

How Chua responds now is most crucial. He does not have to bother with the likes of Khir, who is not respected by any one worth knowing anyway.

But if Chua backs down again – whether the rebuke comes from Prime Minister Najib Razak or former premier Mahathir Mohamad himself – then the MCA is finished. Forever finished! It should then 'corporatize', be an education and media company, but stay out of politics.

There is only one way for Chua to fight back and that is all the way. His only meaningful weapon is the 15 parliamentary seats that the MCA holds. This is the time when all members, especially the 15 MPs, should close ranks and express their support for him.

If he fails them, then they must throw him out. If Umno continues to disrespect the MCA, please pull out from the Barisan Nasional.

Throughout the country - from peninsula to East Malaysia and regardless of whether they are MCA members or not - the Chinese will clap and support such a decision. If only Chua has the guts to do so, then there is still a chance his party can retain some of those 15 seats.

The MCA does not have to join Pakatan Rakyat if it does not wish to. It can try being a truly independent party, although to be one, it must take care not to troll with the likes of Zul Noordin, Zahrain Hashim and Wee Choo Keong.

Koh Tsu Koon and Gerakan must follow. There is really no other way out.

The MCA is a wealthy party. It has built cash reserves if not in billions than at least hundreds of millions. The future is a very long time. With this cash hoard, heal and revamp the MCA. But do not ‘drop the face’ of the community anymore.