LET ME REMIND TERESA KOK, WE HAVE NEVER SUNG ‘THE MOON REPRESENTS MY HEART’ TO PAS – MCA’S TI TELLS DAP MP

It is indeed a joke to note that DAP Vice President cum Seputeh MP Teresa Kok cannot distinguish between the role, responsibility and scope of a political party as opposed to the Government.

Look at her fallacious and misconceived statement. It reflects the inability of one’s mind to distinguish a fact from a fiction in her mind.

The honourable MP said this in Free Malaysia Today (5 Nov 17):

◦         “The money the BN government and MCA have are from the people. They are using the people’s money to build TARC and schools and universities.

          ◦         “It is the duty of the government to provide education. MCA is part of the BN coalition government, and both are doing what a government should do for the people. Nothing for them to shout about”

An immediate retort will be: what are the community programmes or products by DAP as a political party since they have taken over the government in Selangor, Penang and in the past Perak, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu while they were together with PAS , a “radical” Islamic-based party? DAP accuses MCA for working with a racist party in BN but MCA is part of BN and BN has talked and walked the path of multi-racialism since Independence Day !

DAP must not be mistaken that we are part of a coalition that represents and upholds moderation, maintains unity and harmony since the days of the Alliance and Barisan Nasional! Unlike DAP, we have never sung the chorus of “The Moon Represents My heart” or “ Yue Liang Dai Piao Wo De Xin” in reference to PAS!

Back to the incorrect Honourable MP from Seputeh! She must be reminded of history, communal responsibility , past and present challenges, immediate needs or the calling of duty under certain circumstances.

Let me remind her that the political duties of a party and the administrative responsibilities of a government differ (in case she cannot comprehend.)

Coming back to the situation, challenges and circumstances of post May 13, 1969. That was when DAP had defeated MCA in more than half of the parliamentary seats. That was when DAP together with PAS and other socialist parties together with UMNO rebels and ultras (including Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad etc ) had brought the downfall of Tunku Abdul Rahman as the Prime Minister who had tried to uphold the Alliance (of which UMNO, MCA and MIC were components) policies of being multi-lingual, multicultural and multi-racial. Thereafter, when the political tussle reached a boiling point and there was a breakout of racial riots , Tunku was forced to step down despite a victory in the general election. That was the change of BN then, from multi-racial policies, the next coalition government moved onto the “Satu Bangsa , Satu Bahasa dan Satu Negara” spirit along Indonesian, PAS and UMNO ultras pressure.

It was posthumous that MCA was forced to initiate and build the TAR College from members’, community and governmental support. The whole idea of TAR College was to  absorb a sudden lack of places in University and pre-University places of further education for the Chinese community as a result of the introduction of racial quotas under the New Economic Policy (NEP) that was approved in line with the Constitution and institutions.

DAP knowing the massive problems faced by the Chinese community (despite being inter-alia the cost of the breakdown of racial harmony) chose the easy way out by pointing fingers at MCA for being in the Barisan Government. This was in total disregard of the fact the MCA joined the government upon repeated calls by Chinese community leaders, guilds and associations etc in order that the community is being represented.

It is under this circumstances, historical background and challenges that MCA rises to the occasion by providing a solution and a channel for the poorer Chinese like DAP’s MPs Teresa Kok, Chong Eng, Teo Kok Seong etc to further their studies since many Chinese (including non-Chinese) families  were unable to send their children overseas or pay the higher fees of private institutes.

MCA is not asking “misplaced” characters like DAP’s Vice President Teresa Kok to be grateful to MCA but for the least that she can do is to recognise that MCA has indeed discharged our political duties and responsibilities to the community by providing a social-political educational solution at a time when many like Teresa Kok could have been forced to be in the work force as a result of their lack of education or failure to pursue further studies if not for TAR College that was initiated, completed and managed by the help of MCA.

Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker
MCA Publicity Spokesman (English / Bahasa Malaysia)
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman 

– MAILBAG