During my “Jelajah Desa Bersama Kit Siang” visit to Sungai Gelugor on Sunday, I told a media conference that if the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang is prepared to conclude a solemn agreement that the top priority in the 14th General Election is to save Malaysia from becoming a global kleptocracy and a failed and rogue state, which would be the national agenda for the next five to ten years, I am prepared to co-operate with him. Was Hadi prepared to make such a commitment?
This had created a lot of political waves, both in MCA and Gerakann quarters, with the MCA Youth leader and Deputy Education Minister launching into a tirade against the DAP.
Why? Is it just because of my preparedness, despite our great political differences, to work with Hadi Awang on a common agenda in the larger national interests to free the country from the curse of a global kleptocracy?
Only the small-minded and political opportunists will call this an “U-turn” or hypocrisy, when it is the highest form of expression of patriotism and love for Malaysia.
I do not know what is Hadi’s response, but I stand by my position that despite our great political differences, I am prepared to work with Hadi to save Malaysia from global kleptocracy – not mere kleptocracy.
No country can claim to be God-fearing, guided by the religious, moral and ethical precepts and principles, whether Islamic, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu or Sikhist, and nobody can claim to be patriotic and want to save the country if he is she is content for Malaysia to remain a global kleptocracy!
There is this quaint and immature notion that political opponents must be political enemies but I can say with all honesty that in 51 years of my political life, I had never entertained hatred, animosity or vengeance against my political opponents, although they had wronged me, my family and my party.
When I was released from second detention under the Internal Security Act under Operation Lalang in April 1989, I asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Mahathir, and when I met him, I said I wanted to see him not to ask why he arrested me and Guan Eng, but why he had not arrested the UMNO Youth leader at the time, Najib Razak, who had exacerbated ethnic tensions in the run-up to the Operation Lalang.
I am prepared to work not only with Hadi, but with the Prime Minister and UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, MCA President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Gerakan President Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, the MIC President Datuk Seri Dr. S. Subramaniam and all the Sabah and Sarawak Barisan Nasional leaders in the national interest to purge and cleanse Malaysia of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.
I am prepared to meet Liew and Mah any place any time in the next 72 hours from 12 noon today to 12 noon on Chinese New Year’s Eve on January 27 to discuss how we can co-operate in the larger national interests to purge and cleanse Malaysia of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.
Will Liow and Mah have to get UMNO approval before responding? I await response from Liow and Mah for such a meeting in the next 72 hours.
I am surprised that the MCA Youth leader and Deputy Education Minister had condemned me for my preparedness to work with Hadi to ensure that Malaysia is saved from kleptocracy alleging that this showed that I am “willing to neglect the rights of non-Muslims”.
Is such an ignoramus and mentally-deficient person with no notion of the need to instill ethics, unity and harmony among the diverse races and religions in Malaysia qualified to be Deputy Education Minister of a plural Malaysia, as he can only poison the minds of the young generation of Malaysians from being model Malaysians!
How would this Deputy Education Minister term the acceptance of Ministers and leaders of the MCA, Gerakan, MIC, Sarawak/Sabah Barisan Nasional component parties to UMNO’s unilateral and arbitrary decision for the BN Federal Government to take over Hadi’s private member’s bill in the March meeting of Parliament, without any consensus either from the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council or the Cabinet?
Can the MCA leadership explain how working with Hadi with the specific agenda to purge and cleanse Malaysia’s of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide a global kleptocracy would “sell out the rights and interests of non-Muslims”?
Are the MCA leaders seriously suggesting that Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy serve the “rights and interests of non-Muslims” in Malaysia?
I am totally flabbergasted that Malaysia has such a Deputy Education Minister. For such an outrageous statement which reflect a most immature and unMalaysian mentality, the MCA Youth leader and Deputy Education Minister should be sacked from both posts immediately.
Both he would not be – as birds of the same feather flock together!
At least we must be thankful that from the current controversy, Malaysians have gleaned the truth about the MCA’s demand for a Deputy Prime Minister in 2009 when Najib became Prime Minister – a secret which the MCA had kept for seven long years.
When Tun Mahathir made the mistake a few days ago of saying that he had previously heard the DAP asking for the DPM post, when in fact it was the MCA which had asked for the DPM post, Najib jumped in to make a denial that MCA had requested for the post of DPM.
MCA Secretary-General Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan admitted yesterday that MCA had never raised the DPM issue ever since Najib took over as Prime Minister, despite the Star report of the MCA deputy secretary-general Datuk Loke Yueh Yow making a big issue in the Chinese press at the time over MCA demand for DPM.
Ong Ka Chuan said “the issue regarding the Deputy Prime Minister post was never put forward by MCA leadership to the Prime Minister, either in private or through any formal meetings.”
Loke Yuen Yow has also been dragged out of retirement to state that he was making the demand for a MCA Deputy Prime Minister in 2009 in his personal capacity.
MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong chimed in and said Loke’s position in 2009 could not be taken as a party stand.
Why didn’t the MCA national leaders make such a clarification in 2009 and kept this secret for seven long years?
Yesterday, I said the MCA had asked for the post of DPM three times in the past five decades, but whether they were all like the 2009 occasion where the demand for DPM post was only ‘drama’ in the Chinese media but ‘did not reach’ the ears of the Prime Minister – I leave it to the MCA leadership to tell Malaysians more of their secrets.”
The more immediate and urgent question now is whether the Loke Yuen Yow farce, with a lot of “thunder and lightning signifying nothing”, repeat itself in a Liow Tiong Lai farce over Hadi’s private member’s bill?
In an interview with the Chinese press today, Liew said UMNO may risk breaking up BN if it wilfully presents Hadi’s private member’s bill to amend Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.
He warned that even though MCA has only seven MPs in Parliament, they will all vote against it.
He called on the people, particularly the Chinese community, to rise and prevent the amendment from being passed in Parliament.
It is all well and good to breathe “lightning and thunder” like Loke Yueh Yow in 2009, but what is the purpose if this is just “drama” in the Chinese press and not meant to be taken seriously whether by the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council or Cabinet?
In fact, Liow is being downright irresponsible when he called on “the people, particularly the Chinese community, to rise and prevent the amendment from being passed in Parliament”.
This is because Hadi’s private member’s bill would not even be voted in Parliament without “green light” by the BN Government, and Liow should explain whether there is consensus in Barisan Nasional Supreme Council or the Cabinet for the BN Federal Government to allow Hadi’s private member’s bill motion to be put to a vote in the March meeting of Parliament, to be followed BN Federal Government take-over of Hadi’s private member’s bill?
This is why I had proposed the Pensiangan Formula to address the political and constitutional stalemate presented by UMNO’s unilateral and arbitrary support for Hadi’s private member’s bill.
Is Liow prepared to present at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow the Pensiangan Formula for adoption by the Cabinet?
The Pensiangan Formula comprises two elements, viz:
• Firstly, the Barisan Nasional government should not take over Hadi’s private member’s bill, which should remain on the parliamentary order paper; and
• Secondly, the formation of an all-party Parliamentary Select Committee to study and make proposals on how to strengthen inter-religious relations in Malaysia based on the Malaysian Constitution, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Rukunegara, with the Parliamentary Select Committee specifically assigned to study Hadi’s private member’s bill motion.
If the MCA gives full and uncompromising support for the Pensiangan Formual, there is no need for him to call on ‘the people, particularly the Chinese community, to rise and prevent the amendment from being passed in Parliament”, for the Bill will not be voted by Parliament and would be referred to a Parliamentary Select Committee for further study and recommendation.
If I meet Liow and Mah in the next 72 hours, I am prepared to discuss with them how to ensure that the Loke Yuen Yow-DPM farce of 2009 will not be repeated in a Liow Tiong Lai-Hadi private member’s bill farce in March Parliament.
(Media Conference Statement at Wisma DAP Penang)
The Constitution is our last line of defence. Defend the constitution. We do not have to explain why we oppose Hadi’s Bill when it clearly contravenes the Federal Constitution.
The Bill is about punishment that contravenes our Constitution. We do not oppose the right of anyone to worship the way one wishes to, provided one keeps within the Constitution. Incidentally, persuasion, education, good example etc. are better tools to encourage morality than mere punishment.
If PAS (and temporary bedmate, UMNO Bahru) intend to implement Islamic Law in Malaysia, let them amend the offending Federal Constitution first instead of making back-door attempts. There is no other legitimate way Islamic Law can be implemented in Malaysia.
Politicians will be politicians: they are good at political football. Even nonagerians can play this game of lies. However, I remind Ahmad, Ah Chong and Ramasamy to oppose power hungry people, especially those who are out to Talibanise West Malaysia. Remember, “what is done cannot be undone”. No use for MCA, Gerakan, and other unimportant and spineless parties to protest to the PM/carry banners to the PM, after the Bill is passed and the effects begin to pain all citizens (not only Muslims).
Remember Art. 121(1)1A.