Ti's message for DAP leaders who graduated from MCA institutions...

MCA does not expect DAP leaders who graduated from MCA-owned education institutions to be grateful, but they should not dismiss its significance, said MCA religious harmony bureau chairperson Ti Lian Ker.

Ti said this in reference to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who downplayed MCA's role in her alma mater Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (Taruc), stating it was the duty of the government to provide education and that the money came from the people.

However, Ti said Kok needed to differentiate between the government and a political party.

Ti said the MCA took it upon itself to set up its own educational institutions in response to ethnic-quotas introduced under the New Economic Policy, following the racial riots of 1969.

"That was when DAP had defeated MCA in more than half of the parliamentary seats. That was when DAP, PAS, other socialist parties together with Umno rebels and ultras (including Mahathir Mohammad) had brought the downfall of Tunku Abdul Rahman as the prime minister.

"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 when BN changed then. From multi-racial policies, the next coalition government moved towards the 'Satu Bangsa, Satu Bahasa dan Satu Negara' spirit...," he said.

Ti said the idea of Taruc, then still a college, was to absorb students due to lack of places for the Chinese community in public universities following the quota system.

"It is under these circumstances, historical background and challenges, that MCA rose to the occasion by providing a solution and channels for the poorer Chinese, like DAP’s Teresa Kok, Chong Eng, Teo Kok Seong, etc to further their studies...

"MCA is not asking misplaced characters like Kok to be grateful to MCA but 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 Kok could have been forced to be in the workforce as a result of their lack of education (opportunities)...," he said.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, when officiating the 64th MCA annual general assembly yesterday, had praised MCA's education institutions such as Taruc and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar), noting that several DAP leaders had graduated from these institutions.- Mkini