ON THE BEAT WITH WONG CHUN WAI
Sunday Star
Sunday May 8, 2011
The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be in the government or the opposition in the next general election.
IT’S a month now since the Sarawak state polls and Tan Sri Taib Mahmud, who was the target of the emotional election campaign, remains the Chief Minister.
He delivered 35 out of the 35 seats contested by Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu and convincingly won in his Asajaya stronghold, with his opponents losing their deposits.
The calls for Taib, the longest serving Chief Minister, to step down have since stopped.
Despite the cry for change, nothing has changed. Taib is still the man in charge and he still holds the key to the state’s 29 Barisan Nasional MPs in the safe deposit box.
Painful as it may sound, the reality is that the only change that has occurred is the Chinese voters have committed their representation to the opposition.
The fact is that Taib delivered in the state’s fiercest election, where over 200 candidates contested in 71 seats, and he made sure Barisan won with the two-thirds majority intact by winning 55 seats.
PKR, which contested the largest number of seats for Pakatan Rakyat, was a wash-out, managing to win only three of the 49 seats it went for.
PAS failed so badly, with some of its candidates losing their deposits.
The point is that the bulk of the Malay, Melanau and Dayak seats remained with the Barisan.
PKR generated much hype about capturing the state, with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim even declaring at mid-point of the campaign that Pakatan was looking beyond denying the Barisan the two-thirds majority.
It was a foregone conclusion even before the nominations that the urban Chinese voters would go to the DAP. And, as predicted, the DAP won 12 seats, almost wiping out SUPP.
It would not be wrong to deduce that Taib had gone to the polls knowing that the Chinese voters had abandoned him and SUPP could not deliver but the bumiputra votes would be solid.
Even in the suburbs of Kuching, where bumiputra voters are fully exposed to issues, they strongly backed the Barisan.
For all their euphoria, PKR and PAS could not deliver the bumiputra seats, and that meant capturing the state was impossible.
Essentially, the Chinese is now in the opposition.
The bottom line is that voting was along racial lines, much as some might wish to gloss over it. Even Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian – who was picked to be the new CM should Pakatan win but ended up as not even the state opposition chief – argued on the ethnic factor, snubbing the Pakatan Shadow Cabinet because he felt it did not have enough bumiputra representation.
Similarly, PAS has always consistently said its role is to push for an Islamic representation. It has always been honest about its goal and agenda.
Racial representation certainly does matter in any government, whether Barisan or Pakatan, as Baru Bian himself has acknowledged. And no matter how we argue, the DAP won in the Chinese areas.
The DAP has said that it makes no difference whether SUPP is in the state government or not. But that remains to be seen and evaluated in the next five years.
Now comes the question of the Chinese representation at federal level. Anti-establishment sentiments among the Chinese remain strong with their grouses pertaining to economic opportunities, places in public universities, career opportunities in public services, abuse of the affirmative actions and religious concerns.
The Chinese community has always placed strong emphasis on continued progression. Their migratory patterns to seek better lives have long been recorded. Even in countries that are predominantly Chinese – China, Taiwan and Singapore – the community always wants more.
Any politician who asks Chinese voters to be grateful would only commit political suicide, given the fact that the community makes up one of the largest group of personal income tax contributors in Malaysia.
Development is after all the duty of the government. That’s what politicians are supposed to do.
But it has also been frustrating for the MCA, the largest Chinese partner in the Barisan. It has a record in education which no Chinese-based party in Malaysia can match. Hundreds of thousands have graduated from Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman and now Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.
It cannot be denied that even critics of the MCA have benefited in some ways from the party. As an example, many are sending their children to KTAR or Utar, which are heavily subsidised by the party and its supporters. It would be more acceptable to suggest that the MCA need to do more.
At the MCA headquarters, every day there is such a long queue of people seeking help from the party’s officials. It resembles a busy hospital scene.
Certainly, it has been dampening and even heart-wrenching for the party to be asked what it has done for the Chinese. It has now come to a head-on: Should the Chinese vote opposition but turn to the MCA for help?
It is clear that MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is not accepting such an arrangement. The party has decided that should it fare worse than in the 2008 polls, the MCA would not accept any government position – not even municipal council, district committee or hospital advisory board posts.
The decision should be regarded not as a threat but as a matter of choice. The wishes of the community must be respected as massive defeats for the MCA in the next polls can only be seen as the wish of the voters to reject Chinese representation in government.
No dignified Chinese leader – whether MCA, Gerakan or SUPP – should accept a senator’s post after publicly pledging he would not accept any government post this time. It would be simply demeaning.
The MCA has readily admitted that it would have little legitimacy to be in government if it is rejected by the community. For sure, it would have little bargaining power if it is regarded as non-representative of the Chinese community.
If it does not perform well, then the MCA should pack up, accept the rejection, stay on the sidelines for the next five years and let its political opponent take up the interests of the Chinese community.
In the next general election, the likelihood is that the DAP has a good chance of retaining Penang. But there can never be a Penang factor elsewhere.
In Kedah, PAS is facing a strong challenge while in Perak, the political scenario has changed drastically with the Barisan regaining much ground.
Of the 222 parliamentary seats, only 40-odd seats are Chinese majority with over 65% Chinese votes. There are about 30-odd racially mixed seats. That means the Chinese political clout is restricted, and it has not helped with the population continuing to decline sharply.
In Selangor, the official statistic is that it is only 29% of the five million population, and in Penang with its more than one million population, the Chinese are reportedly no longer the majority.
In 1957, the Chinese made up 45% of the country’s population. But the projection is that by 2035, it will drop to 18.6% if the decline continues.
With the indication now that Malay and Indian votes have returned to the Barisan, the scenario is moving towards an unhealthy situation where Malays are in government and the Chinese are on the opposition.
PKR and PAS are fully aware of the Malay shift, with PKR re-emphasising its commitment to protecting Malay special rights while the Islamist party is expected to do the same at its general meeting next month in a move to regain the Malay votes.
The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be the king-maker, to be in the government or the opposition, in the next general election
Wong is writing with his pen in his foot and brains between his crotch.
Is he saying that the Chinese vote is so cheap that it goes only for Chinese representation in the cabinet and ignore abuse of power, corruption, decline in public institutions, racial and religious bigotry and UMNO arrogance?
Who says the Chinese want to remain with the Opposition?
The Chinese will be with the Pakatan led Federal Government, you idiot.
It is you, MCA and BN which will be in the Opposition. Get it.
Don’t blame Wong. He has to write “with his pen in his foot and brains between his crotch” if he wants to keep his datukship, and more importantly his rice-bowl.
No need to wait until next GE, MCA should withraw their Cabinet Position with immediate effect!
just decide to throw away parties which you think is/are corrupted ! ok ?
and vote in parties/person which you think NOT corrupted, n can serve rakyat, ok ! simple , isn’t it ?
why election in little dot, no campaign on race n religion ? chinese lah, malay lah, indian, eurasian lah, muslim lah, cristian lah, hindu lah, are those in the little dots all colour blind, wah, so pitiful lah !
by Loh on Sunday, 8 May 2011 – 1:17 pm
From The Star :Chinese voters must decide
ON THE BEAT WITH WONG CHUN WAI
///The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be in the government or the opposition in the next general election.///–WCW
The Chinese want to be in the government but they do not want to have MCA-type of Chinese representing them. It would be more correct to say that the Chinese want MCA to be out of the government so that UMNO will be sent to opposition bench. In the event that UMNO still retains power, Chinese prefer MCA to be outside the government so that the Chinese interest would not be said to be represented by MCA, which over the past 5 decades have not been able to safeguard the interests of the Chinese. In particular, MCA in the 1970 was promised that NEP would be for 20 years, but now NEP is forever. Chinese want UMNO to explain to the world how NEP is not discriminatory?
///Racial representation certainly does matter in any government, whether Barisan or Pakatan, as Baru Bian himself has acknowledged. And no matter how we argue, the DAP won in the Chinese areas.///-WCW
Racial representation matters only when the government practices racist policies. That only happens, and considered to be normal, in Malaysia. The sensitivity of the culture and religion of the people are clear to all, and so long as the civil servants do not intentionally act against any racial group, there is no need to have racial quota in government.
The Chinese voted DAP because firstly DAP shows that it is able to govern Penang without corruption. Secondly DAP fights racism and corruption in government, and Chinese in Sarawak are against BN’s racial discriminatory policies.
///The DAP has said that it makes no difference whether SUPP is in the state government or not. But that remains to be seen and evaluated in the next five years. ///WCW
To DAP, the persons elected to serves as the government do not serve the interests of their community against others; they serve the interest of the nation. Thus in a healthy democracy whether SUPP is in or out of government should not matter. In Malaysia if MCA is out of the government UMNO will have to care about what foreigners think about its policies and stability, and it would be better for the Chinese who seek fairness and justice in the country.
///Now comes the question of the Chinese representation at federal level. Anti-establishment sentiments among the Chinese remain strong with their grouses pertaining to economic opportunities, places in public universities, career opportunities in public services, abuse of the affirmative actions and religious concerns.///–WCW
MCA is not a stupid organization, but political reality prevented them from safeguarding Chinese interests. So until UMNO changes its mindset, there is no turning back to the pre-May 13 days. Only when UMNO is forced to the opposition, or when MCA is not the convenient scapegoat would UMNO takes a close look on the statement that one can fool all the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time. UMNO certainly cannot fool all the Malays all the time, and threaten the Chinese at all time.
///The Chinese community has always placed strong emphasis on continued progression. Their migratory patterns to seek better lives have long been recorded. Even in countries that are predominantly Chinese – China, Taiwan and Singapore – the community always wants more.///–WCW
It is not true that they want more as if they are greedy; they only try to achieve their potentials. Even trying to progress, it is not in their culture to bully. There is nothing wrong in seeking progression, and that is how the society develops.
///Any politician who asks Chinese voters to be grateful would only commit political suicide, given the fact that the community makes up one of the largest group of personal income tax contributors in Malaysia.///WCW
If Chinese should be grateful, they should be grateful that they are not robbed more. Compared to the lawless days the Chinese might have to be grateful that lootings in modern Malaysia is not as rampant as a few centuries in the past. Yes Chinese and all human beings are grateful that with the passage of time, and through scientific and economic development, lives have been easier than in the past. In terms of governing the country, the BN government has clearly failed.
The fact that Chinese pays the bulk of income tax in Malaysia has no relevant to the ordinary Chinese who only wanted the country to be governed through rule of law. Mamakthir stated the fact with evil ulterior motives. It is equally irrelevant to sum up the shares of equity, or the wealth by community. The law in the country allows the citizens to own and retain their wealth, and to pass down to their descendents. The wealth being the results of hard work or luck of the individual are not a matter for government intervention. The government has no business to be involved in distributing wealth though the world over modern governments do involve in making social transfers to help the needy. But wealth distribution has been UMNO’s guiding principles, and they transfer from national coffers public funds to create private wealth of the persons chosen by the powers-that be.
///Development is after all the duty of the government. That’s what politicians are supposed to do.
But it has also been frustrating for the MCA, the largest Chinese partner in the Barisan. It has a record in education which no Chinese-based party in Malaysia can match. Hundreds of thousands have graduated from Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman and now Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.
It cannot be denied that even critics of the MCA have benefited in some ways from the party. As an example, many are sending their children to KTAR or Utar, which are heavily subsidised by the party and its supporters. It would be more acceptable to suggest that the MCA need to do more.///–WCW
MCA has done well as a social organization. It has failed as a political party. No amount of good work besides those in political area would compensate for MCA’s dismay performance in safeguarding the Chinese interests. For that matter all the clans and associations have been beneficial to their members, but they do not claim to represent the Chinese in terms of agreeing to government policies.
///At the MCA headquarters, every day there is such a long queue of people seeking help from the party’s officials. It resembles a busy hospital scene.
Certainly, it has been dampening and even heart-wrenching for the party to be asked what it has done for the Chinese. It has now come to a head-on: Should the Chinese vote opposition but turn to the MCA for help?///–WCW
The Chinese should go for assistance where they would be helped. It is not a trade off for having some assistance from MCA and to forgo the larger issues such as the equality as a citizen of this county. MCA can quit politics and would still be able to serve the Chinese in the capacity it claims to have done well.
///It is clear that MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is not accepting such an arrangement. The party has decided that should it fare worse than in the 2008 polls, the MCA would not accept any government position – not even municipal council, district committee or hospital advisory board posts.///–WCW
What then is the purpose of remaining in Barisan Nasional and to allow UMNO to claim that its racist discriminatory policies have the backing of MCA said to represent Chinese? MCA needs to make a total break from Barisan Nasional. Chinese reject MCA because it is not able to safeguard the interests of Chinese. Whether or not MCA failed to fight it is clear that UMNO is arrogant, and UMNO has not changed and is getting worse by the day. So, Chinese want MCA to be disassociated with UMNO.
///The decision should be regarded not as a threat but as a matter of choice. The wishes of the community must be respected as massive defeats for the MCA in the next polls can only be seen as the wish of the voters to reject Chinese representation in government.///–WCW
It is only in name that Chinese are represented by MCA in government. If the government policies are not race-based, there is no need for racial presentation. When the policies are race-based, the low percentage of non-Malays hardly changes UMNO’s wishes. That is a myth that there were ever give-and-take on policies because of resource limitation, it has always been policies appealing to political supports from racists. The sooner MCA leave the racist game, the better for the country and the Chinese community.
///No dignified Chinese leader – whether MCA, Gerakan or SUPP – should accept a senator’s post after publicly pledging he would not accept any government post this time. It would be simply demeaning.///–WCW
There is no shortage of persons who just fit the mould of un-dignified person, whether they claim to be Chinese leaders or not. UMNO thinks that whoever it appoints, he is the Chinese leaders. Chinese have their own mind. MCA would claim that in the interest of stability, in the words of Lim Siang Chai (senator, deputy finance minister) for the sake of stability MCA would remain in government after losing worse than 308. So, to make the stability visible, MCA members would have to sacrifice their honour and accept the appointment as senators. Chua Soi Lek would be removed as President of MCA or he would accept appointment as senator due to the changing need to maintain stability. Brutus LTL will be waiting ad hoping to be the next President. Nobody wants the dog that bites.
///The MCA has readily admitted that it would have little legitimacy to be in government if it is rejected by the community. For sure, it would have little bargaining power if it is regarded as non-representative of the Chinese community.///–WCW
It is not an issue of brute force represented by votes. It is the argument in the most civilized manner as to whether government policies have been in the interest of the nation. In fact there is nothing in the constitution which says that Malays have special privilege. There is only the recognition that based on needs Malays were placed on the special position for special assistances, initially for 15 years, and subject to review. Tun Razak had to cover his track and created NEP, but that too has passed the promised 20-year duration. If MCA cannot convince UMNO to do the right things, it has to quit. MCA does not get even one-third of the constituencies to stand in general election, so no matter how many seats are returned, they are not able to stop UMNO.
Every citizen has the legitimate right to political opinion. MCA should be able to speak for the community, and if UMNO refuses to listen, MCA has no choice but to quit. It is just an excuse to claim that there is little bargaining power if MCA is not sufficiently represented. The fact is MCA has no bargaining power at all. It has only the opportunity to voice its opinion. But after voicing, MCA can choose to leave the government when voices spoken are not heard.
///If it does not perform well, then the MCA should pack up, accept the rejection, stay on the sidelines for the next five years and let its political opponent take up the interests of the Chinese community.///–WCW
MCA should leave the government. The few MPs, if any, should be independent and speak for their conscience.
///In the next general election, the likelihood is that the DAP has a good chance of retaining Penang. But there can never be a Penang factor elsewhere.
In Kedah, PAS is facing a strong challenge while in Perak, the political scenario has changed drastically with the Barisan regaining much ground.
Of the 222 parliamentary seats, only 40-odd seats are Chinese majority with over 65% Chinese votes. There are about 30-odd racially mixed seats. That means the Chinese political clout is restricted, and it has not helped with the population continuing to decline sharply.///–WCW
Mamakthir wants PAS and PKR Malays to return to UMNO, and more importantly he wants Kaka Muslim, the descendent of the Indian from Calicut, Kerela, India, to be the next deputy Prime Minister when Najib gets no better than 308 results, and Muhyiddin does to Najib what Najib did to AAB.
///In Selangor, the official statistic is that it is only 29% of the five million population, and in Penang with its more than one million population, the Chinese are reportedly no longer the majority.///–WCW
The Malays in Selangor and Penang, other than the Mamaks-NEWMalays, have learned about UMNO’s excesses, and they prefer meritocracy to racism.
///In 1957, the Chinese made up 45% of the country’s population. But the projection is that by 2035, it will drop to 18.6% if the decline continues.///–WCW
Tun Razak said that it was good riddance that Chinese left the country because of NEP. He must be laughing in his grave.
///With the indication now that Malay and Indian votes have returned to the Barisan, the scenario is moving towards an unhealthy situation where Malays are in government and the Chinese are on the opposition.///–WCW
Mamakthir’s words are repeated as if they are the truth. UMNO utilizes race as an issue to protect those who enrich themselves under the aegis of NEP. Ordinary Malays learn that 888 billion ringgit went out of the country illegally, and they are not surprised that the owners are those said to belong to the race that needed assistance. Sine they are trained to be jealous of others’ good fortune, can we expect them to support status quo of having UMNOputras mining good in government offices?
///PKR and PAS are fully aware of the Malay shift, with PKR re-emphasising its commitment to protecting Malay special rights while the Islamist party is expected to do the same at its general meeting next month in a move to regain the Malay votes.
The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be the king-maker, to be in the government or the opposition, in the next general election.///–WCW
When PKR and PAS take those stand, Malaysia will be Zimbabwe sooner rather than later.
If TBH’s murderer had a son…….
http://www.emmitsburg.net/humor/pictures/2011/todays46.jpg
Fork-Tongue Wong, knows where his bread is buttered. For all his so called religious convictions , he is a severe disappointment. In Sarawak, the protest votes are from across the Sarawakians, not only Chinese. But he is right – the Chinese must decide. We have all decided to change the government. It is a difficult task, but that is what we must work hard to achieve.
After all these years since 1957, what have MCA done for us Chinese to be proud of. Yes UTAR is one, but at a cost of us losing our rights to be here. People call us all kinds of names, whenever they feel like they wish to, and the MCA hide behind UMNO skirts. They embezzled RM12.5B and puts the Chinese to take the rap. They openly chase us to go back to “Tongsan” if you dont like it here. What did our MCA cabinet members do?
They demand 30% but take much, much more then that, and for perpetuity. Our children are left with no education and no jobs. Some of our children have to sell pirate VCDs to make ends meet, and they get hounded and arrested roughly, while they exhibit their sex videos in public aided by the main TV station and by the police, and still walk around arrogantly challenging everyone. They blatantly print lies as their headlines, without investigating. Just to arouse the racial religious flames. Shall I go on? Don’t we all know, Mr Forked Tongue Wong?
The rot did not start with Dr Chua. The ‘rotten fishhead” started along time ago.
It is time to change. Yes the Chinese must decide. Decide that we need to change the government.
We need to change the tenant at Putrajaya
You know what really egg me about this piece? You sense from his writing that he think he actually has some legitimacy to lecture..The man is feeling way too comfortable with his castration. He think he is Wei Xiao Bao, a fake eunuch with real power. He does not know we see his castration already..
Wong Chun Wai: “The question is whether the Chinese community wishes to be the king-maker, to be in the government or the opposition, in the next general election”.
Chun Wai: This is not even a tough question at all!
It isn’t only about bread and butter. It’s also about morals. And you have not written a word on it.
The moral of the story is that MCA is history. Malaysians could well put BN into the archives too.
And the moral is government of the people, by the people and for the people. Cliche. Sure. But it’s time we go back to pure basics again, Chun Wai. That would have been a better editorial.
If the DAP is given a license for a university, I am sure no self-respecting Chinese would want to enroll in UTAR.
According to this [deleted], Chinese are grateful for the alms that they received from cronyism and corruption money of MCA and they should not make a choice to dump MCA inside the dumpster. Pathetic.
On one hand MCA is telling all Malaysians that they believed in the PM’s 1Malaysia concept and all these MCA’s jokers have been showing their index finger in all events to signify that they understand the concept and are complying (110%) with the so call wonderful concept. If the 1Malaysia concept was really adopted and practice, then why should we need a race base party like MCA any more. We can then elect anyone from any political party and that MP or assemblyman will have to represents us and bring our voice to the parliament to resolve our problems. From the statement of Wong Chun Wai, it is very certain that this 1Malaysia concept mooted by the PM was merely a slogan to mislead the other races to believe that the government was trying to unite all the races under his 1Malaysia slogan. The Malays in UMNO never believed the propaganda at all. Then, do we still need MCA to represent us? After 50+ years of representing us, has MCA able to demand for the Chinese equally and make our lives better without much cry. Throughout these 50+ years of MCA’s representation in the ruling government, the Chinese have loose out on many issues such as education, equal status, and deteriorating living conditions,etc. Although arguably the Chinese were still financially stable or well-off, these were not the results of MCA’s efforts. Generally, the Chinese were thrifty and with their survival instinct (they have reduced their number of dependents and family size as compared to the other races drastically) they have survived in these difficult environment of unequal treatments. So, the reason of shrinking Chinese populations was answered here. With the reduced earnings and income from reduced participations in businesses and jobs opportunities, the Chinese have scarifies themselves for MCA actually. Instead, the leaderships in MCA never took heeds of these sorts of problems and they choose not to know them but continued to abet their Bigger Brother, UMNO to take more away so that they could continue to be in position and enjoy the peanuts given to them by UMNO. So if MCA leadership decides to leave the government is no big deal after all, as their participation in the government also did not bring any good to the community. The leadership of MCA have all enriched themselves to become millionaires as well as owning direct and indirectly businesses for their cronies and family members in the private sector through proxies. When these MCA leaders retires as one could observe they would assume high posts in the private sectors or even when they are not holding any post in the private sectors, they could still remain rich with big cars and house as unemployed man on the street. So why do we need to enrich these millionaires anymore if their representation in the government have not brought us any benefit or good. Citizens, so let us choose a new party to represent us so that this new representative knows how to serve us better and be at least fair to us. At least this new party should know who their ‘bosses’ are instead of us calling them YB, Tuns, Tan Sris, Dato’ Seris, Dato’ when we are the ones who have voted them to represent us.
WCW is a breed that Umno need, the whole article argument is, since BN give Chinese to live in M’sia, since MCA give your children study in Utar, since you look for micheal cheong, no Chinese should vote DAP but MCA.
Mahathir and WCW talked and think the same way. WCW are there b’coz he is the breed that fit the Job as MCA wanted!, just like Utusan’s editor work for Umno. He is nothing without MCA, he is writing for his rice-bowl.
Mr WCWC, I have made my choice to vote DAP next GE, and my choice has nothing to do with race nor grateful! I don’t expect you to understand my decision, just like other fellow Chinese that votes DAP. As you have overly stay under Umno’s sarong, to an extent, you are what your are today!.
Probably WCW doesn’t mind the word pendatang coz he has something extra something prestigious to it, he is a Dato’ Pendatang, wow!
TRUE, all Chinese M’sian voters MUST decide n b king-maker
Just vote 4 PR in d next GE n help 2 kick out UmnoB/BN fr Putrajaya
Then d Chinese voice will b in d PR-led gomen
If d PR-led gomen NOT good, then in d next GE, vote it out
Dat’s d spirit of Chinese, agents of change, through out history – changed 1 dynasty 2 another 4 a better future, no blind loyalty 2 corrupt tyrants n gomens
My vote only reserved for whoever is capable, competent, integrity and sincerity irrespective of races and religion!!! Certainly, not to those BN/UMNO suckers keep suckers into their pockets without caring about rakyat! Suckers, you need not to educate me on how to vote and who should I vote…
I have decided to reject umno and barisan and I have also decided to vote DAP and pakatan to be the next government.
Very easy decision to make for voting.
Ask yourself this question?
Which party perform better in Penang and Selangor after so many years?
PKR/DAP or Umno/MCA?
Everyone should have the answer and no need for MCA to tell the chinese voter to decide on the proven track record.