MCA, MIC slammed for 'selling out' their communities to BN

Prime Minister Najib Razak will surely want to hold the 13th General Election this year. And before the fasting month starts in the 3rd week of July, predicted many political pundits.

According to them, he is like a predator about to pounce on its prey. And Pakatan Rakyat is at a great disadvantage because to them the rakyat is still in deep slumber, while Najib is waiting for the right moment to go in for the kill.

In the walled cities of ancient China during the era of the dynasties, there was a saying: 'we have yet to put our trousers on and the enemy is already at the main gate'.

At this point in time, BN's forces are riding towards PR's main gate. We can't really say Pakatan hasn't put its trousers on yet but political observers have pointed out that if BN wins big in Kerdau and Merlimau, the 13th General Election will be held middle of this year. And BN did win big in Kerdau and Merlimau.

The 13th General Election will be the biggest battle of all the general elections in history - so far. According to PKR MP for Machang Saifuddin Nasution, it will certainly be a do-or-die battle for PR.

"This is the best time for the rakyat to go for total change once and for all. Revamp and reform of the Judiciary, the police, the MACC, the whole country for a better future and for all the institutions to regain their respect and credibility which are now at rock bottom," Saifuddin told Malaysia Chronicle.

He also stressed that if PR does not gain the overall victory in the 13th General Election, there may be no more opportunity to do so.

"UMNO-BN will then rule forever, the country will sink and things will get from worse to worst. But it is not easy for us to win as MCA and MIC continue to strengthen UMNO by being in BN. They pull the non-Malay votes away from us," he continued.

Axis of Evil

Many political analysts think that this time the swing is towards BN as the Indian vote seem to be favouring the ruling coalition in the past few by-elections and the Chinese vote seems to be slipping from PR's grasp.

The swing of the Indian vote towards BN started in the Hulu Selangor by-election last April, while the swing of the Chinese vote towards BN started in the Merlimau by-election earlier this month.

Some observers believe the saying that 'all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing' can be applied in Malaysia's political scenario.

Although good men may not necessarily be used to refer to those in MCA and MIC, it can also mean that UMNO is way too powerful, swamping and dominating all the rest in the BN.

Hypothetically speaking and despite their current weakness, if MCA and MIC were to join Pakatan then UMNO would have lost a lot of ground. It won't collapse but it will be much weakened. Therefore, it follows that the reason for UMNO to be so powerful is actually because of the back-up provided by MCA and MIC.

Yet, it is strange that these two 'junior partners' are actually bullied rather than honoured in the coalition. Due to their own cowardice, these two race-based parties are perceived to have sold themselves out to the very people who oppress them.

According to PAS MP Salahuddin Ayub, UMNO, MCA and MIC all depend on each other for strength.

"They have become what I would refer to as the 'Axis of Evil', each complimenting the other. There is no way they will break-up. The silent acquiescence of MCA and MIC to the powers of UMNO and UMNO's bullying ways is what gave strength to UMNO," Salahuddin told Malaysia Chronicle.

And in view of the fast-approaching general election, this "Axis of Evil" is fast maneuvering themselves into position for action, he added.

Selling out their own communities

Klang MP Charles Santiago agreed with Salahuddin by stressing that MCA and MIC are contributing to the nation's downfall and abetting BN's racist policies by remaining in the coalition.

"MCA and MIC will never quit BN. By not quitting BN, they are strengthening the very policies which are implemented to disparage and oppress them, especially in regards to racist comments from school heads and Biro Tata Negara (BTN) officers," Santiago, a senior DAP leader, told Malaysia Chronicle.

He pointed to the case of Nasir Safar, a BTN officer who had previously remarked that the Chinese came to Malaysia to sell their bodies and the Indians came to beg while another BTN officer had said that 'the si mata sepet who never goes to the mosque has only one vote and the si botol who goes up and down Batu Caves has only one vote' in racial slurs referring to the Chinese and Indians respectively.

Additionally, a secondary school principal in Kulai Jaya, Johor, Siti Inshah had also made derogatory comments against the Chinese and Indians during the school assembly but little reprimand was given by the Education ministry.These incidents happened last year despite much hype about Najib's 1Malaysia slogan, Santiago added.

Dr Mujahid Yusof, PAS MP of Parit Buntar, concurred, commenting that the defeats in Kerdau and Merlimau also showed that PAS has got more work to do now.

"To a certain extent, MCA and MIC has taken away some Chinese and Indian support. It would be fair to say, MCA and MIC have sold out the Chinese and the Indians in their effort to please UMNO," Mujahid told Malaysia Chronicle.