Umno has higher standing than MCA, Guan Eng tells Wee

The Penang chief minister says he would rather debate with ministers from Umno as they hold a larger share of seats in Parliament.

Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng says he will rather debate with ministers from Umno as it is the ruling party.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today told MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong that he would rather debate ministers from Umno than MCA.

The DAP secretary-general said this was because Umno holds more seats in Parliament and was effectively the “ruling party”.

“Umno is the ruling party. We respect Umno although it is our opponent.

“In terms of party, Umno has 89 parliamentary seats and DAP has 38 seats. We have to accept this reality.

“If Umno wants to take away MCA’s seat like Bandar Tun Razak, they can do so anytime. What can MCA do then? ‘You siapa, MCA?’ (Who are you, MCA?)

“At the same time, MCA must realise that they only have seven parliamentary seats.

“That is why we feel, if we want to challenge, we should not be challenging MCA but should be challenging Umno,” he said at a press conference here today.

Wee had challenged Lim to a debate on the undersea tunnel-and-roads project but the chief minister had turned him down.

Lim had told Wee that he would rather have a debate with MCA president Liow Tiong Lai as the latter was the party’s highest-ranking leader and it would be fitting since Lim was the DAP secretary-general.

Yesterday, Wee accused Lim of practising double standards when choosing opponents for a debate.

He pointed out that Lim had previously debated with senior civil servants.

“Is your rank only high enough to debate senior civil servants? Do I not merit the same courtesy as those people whom he had previously challenged?

“I lead the MCA as the deputy president and as a member of the federal cabinet. Are you insinuating that my post ranks lower than any of those you have challenged before? Or is it because I am Chinese?

“Or is it because you think the Chinese will always support DAP, hence it excuses you from explaining anything to them?” Wee had said in a Facebook Live video yesterday.

To this, Lim reiterated that he would only have a debate with Liow.

Wee has yet to respond to FMT’s request for comments. -FMT