Liow: Umno and PAS are flirting with each other

MCA president Liow Tiong Lai said Umno and PAS are "flirting" with each other and said this was the result of the Chinese community's decision to back DAP in the last general election.

Speaking at the Malaysia Chinese Youth Summit 2017 in Serdang today, Liow said the Chinese community should back MCA in the coming elections in order to stop ethnic and religious politicking.

“Will Umno cooperate with PAS? They are flirting with each other now. Anyone can see this. 

"Our country (is like this today) because Chinese voters have moved en bloc to one extreme. (Votes) went to DAP. Under such circumstances, both parties (Umno and PAS) will flirt with each other.

"Without Chinese support, they can only resort to this sort of so-called theocratic administration. This is what worries us the most.

"We don't want to see this happen. MCA will try our best to stop this from happening," he said. 

Umno listens to MCA

Liow said that if MCA received the backing of the Chinese community, they would be able to stop attempts to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state. 

"A lot of people have said MCA is no longer important. That is wrong. MCA is the second biggest political party (in BN)...

"We have succeeded in protecting this country (and ensured that it remains) multi-ethnic, moderate and harmonious.

Citing the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 controversy as an example, Liow said MCA has shown how it has opposed policies that were against the BN consensus model. 

He said Umno had originally attempted to take over the bill to amend the law, but dropped the idea after MCA's protest. 

"We told the prime minister and Umno: This is the Chinese community's baseline. Do not go beyond that. We will oppose all the way," he said.

Liow said he was confident that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will continue to pursue a multi-ethnic and moderate administration of the country. 

"We must protect the Federal Constitution. We must ensure that not everything in this country must conform to Islamic laws.

"I told the prime minister that this country must follow the Federal Constitution, not Islamic laws," he said.

Chinese are marginalising themselves

Liow said that the federal government has been promoting various policies, only to be greeted by nonchalance from the Chinese community.

Following this, he asked the audience if they were aware of the "eRezeki" and "eUsahawan" programmes - part of Putrajaya's efforts to help young entrepreneurs - but was met with little response.

Liow admitted that this was part of MCA's failure.

"The government has many good policies and programmes... but very few young Chinese take part. This is MCA's failure. MCA is part of the government, but we didn't publicise these programmes properly to you.

"A lot of people don't misunderstand and believe that the government only favours the Malays and never takes care of us. Everyone doesn't care. They don't take part.

"If everyone has such attitudes and only scolds the government, instead of participating, then this is self-destruction, stunting our own growth and marginalising ourselves," he said.- Mkini