What is DAP's reason for wanting to eliminate MCA, Gerakan?

MCA is a political party formed from a social welfare association at a time when the Chinese community was politically challenged.

That was when Malaysia was gaining independence and the Chinese community would have been politically displaced if they were unrepresented.

Thus in retrospective, Tan Cheng Lock had the foresight and political wisdom to convert the MCA into a political entity. After the MCA had for years been contributing to nation building, community service and playing a moderating role in our national politics, DAP which has been on the political sideline is now proposing to eliminate MCA and Gerakan.

What is the reason DAP is making such an absurd proposal? If DAP is responsible, they must reveal to the community their real intentions of why they want to eliminate MCA and Gerakan.

DAP's sole interest is to take ownership of the Chinese political representation. They are desperately seeking to be part of the federal government.

Therefore there are no holds barred for them when it comes to selling their principles, making U-turns and kissing up to any Malay political personality who can assist them in their political ambitions.

In the past, DAP had “kowtowed” to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Semangat 46), the late Fadzil Noor and Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS ), Anwar Ibrahim (PKR ), Mohamad Sabu (Amanah) and now Muhyiddin Yassin and Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Bersatu).

DAP has been the greatest of Mahathir’s critic and administration when he was in office for 22 years.

Their supremo, Lim Kit Siang had predicted “time bombs” and “doomsday” for Malaysia year after year and had even alleged that Mahathir was the most corrupt prime minister, No1 racist and the most radical and rampant abuser of powers.

Kit Siang had in the past said Mahathir was responsible for starting the Malaysian rot and had promised to put Mahathir in jail if DAP comes into power.

In true fact, DAP under Kit Siang practices dictatorship, but camouflages itself perfectly by using the name "Democratic Action Party".

Kit Siang has a history of exterminating party leaders who do not agree with him and tolerates zero dissent from within the party. He has also succeeded in maintaining a tight grip on the party all these years.

Similarly, DAP camouflages themselves as a multi-racial party when in fact they are a Chinese party as admitted by their Malay leader Zaid Ibrahim recently.

It is this dictatorial style by Kit Siang that has called for the elimination of MCA and Gerakan from the national political scene. Kit Siang cannot tolerate challenges or competition.

Brought more hardship in Penang

Now, that he has gained near absolute control of the Chinese votes among urban folk and can win more seats from working with former Umno and PAS leaders, he is seizing this opportunity to eliminate his political rivals so he can take absolute political ownership of the Chinese community.

The question is what will the Chinese gain from removing or eliminating MCA and Gerakan from among their political options?

Comparing apple to apple, MCA and Gerakan have served the Chinese community much more effectively than DAP despite DAP commanding a bigger number of representatives and support.

Besides DAP’s relentless political rhetorics and continuous attacks on MCA’s weakness, it has nothing much to show in terms of delivery and service to the Chinese community.

In their two terms of governing Penang, they have brought more hardship to the poor, high-end property development and corruption. In the name of democracy, DAP should not be talking about eliminating anyone.

By allowing competition and choice, there will be an improvement. Why deprive the community of their choice to choose the better party to represent their interests by going for the kill?

In the past when they were weaker, they pleaded for a two-party system, check and balance etc. Now that they are stronger since working with “the devils”, they want MCA and Gerakan to be permanently removed from the political scene.

If there is no MCA or Gerakan in future, can the Chinese trust DAP’s unprincipled, couldn’t care less politics of expediency?

They have made U-turns and swallowed their pride by embracing and promoting Mahathir as their future prime minister despite attacking him viciously and vociferously for decades.

They have even given up their rocket logo to PKR in an attempt to win Malay votes. If they are willing to stoop so low and in the blink of an eye give up everything they have fought for and preached all these years... what else?

How much more pathetic can they get?

TI LIAN KER is MCA's Religious Harmony Bureau chairperson and publicity spokesperson. - Mkini