Dr Chua Soi Lek a coward, says Anwar

Dr Chua was accused of lacking the nerve to confront corrupt Malay leaders. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek a coward last night after the MCA president said he would be the first to vote for PKR if it dared to abolish Malay privileges.

Anwar stressed Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will safeguard every provision in the federal constitution, especially Article 153 on the Malay special position.

“Chua Soi Lek wants us to fight among each other. We will not be dictated by you (Dr Chua). You don’t have the courage to face the corrupt practice of the Malay leaders.

“MCA leaders do not have the courage. We (PR) will rise and fight the corrupt, both Malay and Chinese,” he said during a rally with over 200 people in Ampang here last night.

He said the difference between Barisan Nasional (BN) and PR was that his pact fought for the plight of poor Malay while the ruling coalition only looked to protect the wealth of their own families.

He added that while Umno claimed to be protector of Malay rights, they continued neglect the poor and marginalised members of the community.

“Don’t be trapped by their games. We will defend the provisions enshrined in the Malaysian constitution,” he said.

MCA uploaded a clip of Dr Chua on video sharing website YouTube earlier this week, in which he said he would be the first to vote for PKR if it dared to abolish Malay privileges.

Dr Chua’s call follows the April 16 Sarawak election where BN lost nearly all Chinese-majority seats to PR.

The result echoed the loss of Chinese votes in the March 2008 general election, where MCA won just 15 seats in Parliament — fewer than half the 31 MPs it had before.

In the aftermath, he and Utusan Malaysia both called for the Chinese dominated Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) to be dropped from the state Cabinet for its dismal performance.

However, MCA and the Umno-owned newspaper have clashed over the latter’s call for a “1 Melayu, 1 Bumi” campaign to unite Malays against the growing threat of Chinese political power

Yesterday, Anwar ridiculed Utusan’s “1 Melayu, 1 Bumi” campaign and Umno’s concept of the Malay community.

“Malay for them is the Malay businessmen, ministers’ families, Rosmah’s family, and Mahathir’s children. That is their definition of Malays.

“No way they want to defend the plight of the poor,” he said.

“For them Malay rights is their family, for us Malay rights is the rights of the community,” he added.