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Chua Soi Lek should have the courage to tell Umno not to misread Chinese votes for PR Tenang candidate Normala

MCA leaders led by its President Datuk Chua Soi Lek have made PAS and the Islamic State as their main weapons in the MCA “scare-and-fear” campaign strategy in the Tenang by-election to frighten the Chinese voters from voting for the Pakatan Rakyat Tenang candidate, Normala Sudirman.

Their first line of attack is that a vote for Normala is a vote for an Islamic State alleging that DAP has betrayed our principles and supported PAS’ Islamic State agenda.

This is a downright lie, as the DAP’s stand on this issue has remained constant and unchanged since the party’s establishment in 1966 – DAP upholds the 1957 Merdeka Constitution which provides that Islam is the official religion but Malaysia is not an Islamic State. The Constitution clearly stipulates that Malaysia is a democratic and secular nation. Continue reading “Chua Soi Lek should have the courage to tell Umno not to misread Chinese votes for PR Tenang candidate Normala”

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Open Letter to Chua Soi Lek

By Kee Thuan Chye
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Malaysiandigest.com

Dear Soi Lek,

You are a highly educated person and one with the ability to think. As such, you are probably aware that the welfare of this nation rests on more than just the MCA winning its share of seats at the next general election and remaining in the coalition that holds the power to decide the fate of Malaysia.

You are probably aware that the way forward for Malaysia is renouncing the way of the Barisan Nasional, led by Umno, falling back on an outdated decades-old formula. And that if you and the MCA continue to collude with the other parties in BN to retain power, you are subscribing to practices that could lead the nation to racial rifts and economic ruin.

Would you not agree with me that at this point in our history, as we stand at this crucial crossroads deciding which is the best path to take, national politics should no longer be race-based?
Continue reading “Open Letter to Chua Soi Lek”

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Sad MCA leaders’ grasp of Constitution and political principles so shallow – no wonder no MCA Minister dare to tell Muhyiddin that he was wrong and anti-1Malaysia in declaring he is Malay first and Malaysian second!

After I have thrown back the question to the MCA Youth leader and Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Wee Ka Siong whether there is any provision in the Constitution which bars a Chinese or Malaysian of any race or religion from being Deputy Prime Minister, I would have thought that all the top MCA leaders would have become more educated about the Malaysian Constitution.

But this does not appear to be the case, with Wee continue to persist with the question whether I agree with the Pas Mursidul Am and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that only a Muslim can become a Deputy Prime Minister.

It is obvious that my answer is “No” but this seems to be too difficult for the top MCA leaders to understand or fathom.

It is sad that the MCA leaders’ grasp of the Constitution and political principles are so shallow. Continue reading “Sad MCA leaders’ grasp of Constitution and political principles so shallow – no wonder no MCA Minister dare to tell Muhyiddin that he was wrong and anti-1Malaysia in declaring he is Malay first and Malaysian second!”

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“Can a Chinese become Deputy Prime Minister?” – shows up MCA true colours when MCA leaders could ask such a question!

“Can a Chinese become Deputy Prime Minister?”

Although this question was posed by the MCA Youth leader and Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong as a challenge to me, it shows up MCA true colours when MCA leaders could ask such a question.

Are top MCA leaders, including Ministers and Deputy Ministers, ignorant of the Malaysian Constitution?

Is there any provision in the Constitution which bars a Chinese or Malaysian of any race or religion from being Deputy Prime Minister? Or for that matter even as Prime Minister?

No wonder MCA Ministers and Deputy Ministers maintain monumental silence when MCA Cabinet posts have suffered one degradation after another, from Finance Minister and Minister for Industry and Commerce in Merdeka days to Deputy Finance Minister and Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry. Continue reading ““Can a Chinese become Deputy Prime Minister?” – shows up MCA true colours when MCA leaders could ask such a question!”

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Galas assault: Heng a liar, says TBH group

By Wong Teck Chi | Nov 2, 10 4:26pm
Malaysiakini

The ‘Malaysians for Beng Hock’ movement released a series of photographs today to prove that one of their members was manhandled by an MCA grassroots leader in Gua Musang, Kelantan, last Saturday.

The movement’s coordinator Ng Yap Hwa said the photographs proved that one of its members, Soh Cher Hai, was in fact violently pushed by an individual who has been identified as the Gua Musang MCA division secretary.

The movement said the photographs were proof that Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Heng Seai Kie had issued misleading statements on the incident.

Heng had claimed that Soh did not exactly fall onto the ground and that she had ensured Soh’s safety before she left.
Continue reading “Galas assault: Heng a liar, says TBH group”

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Get a backbone, Kit Siang tells MCA

by Joseph Sipalan
Malaysiakini
13.10.2010

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang today challenged MCA’s ministers to take a clear stand and demand for action to be taken against two headmasters charged for racism and the closure of the National Civics Bureau (BTN).

He said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had already given them the green light to make their position known, when the latter said that MCA should be given “space” within the BN coalition when officiating at their annual general meeting last weekend.

“Here you have the prime minister saying ‘give space to MCA’, and although he said that, you don’t see any MCA minister daring to stand up to make a clear stand to demand that action must be taken against the two headmasters,” Kit Siang (right) said at a press conference in the Parliament lobby.

“Even after Umno gave space to MCA, they don’t use the space. I call on MCA ministers to demand that action be taken against the headmasters and close down the BTN, which is a poisonous anti-Malaysia organisation.” Continue reading “Get a backbone, Kit Siang tells MCA”

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Why should MCA interfere with Utar?

by NH Chan
Centre for Policy Initiatives
06 October 2010

Human nature is such that there are two kinds of human behaviour when it comes to charity – the pretentious and the altruistic donor. I have always doubted the sincerity of those who give to charity by proclaiming it under the flashbulbs of press photographers. In these amusing photo ops, you see the donors posing with an enormous mock cheque to emphasize the size of the donation. If you’re truly charitable, why not dispense with the fanfare and write the amount on a normal cheque?

Having said this, I can now tell you about the truly altruistic gesture of philanthropist Koon Yew Yin. He made an offer of RM30 million, quite gratuitously, for the building of hostels for University Tunku Abdul Raman (Utar) students in Kampar.

Ever since the university was founded, its students have had to find their own accommodation outside campus. In many cases, they have to pay exorbitant rents far beyond the means of poor or even middle- class students.

The generosity of Koon was brought to my attention by the unflattering headline ‘Tycoon wanted seat on council’ in theSun (Sept 3, 2010). The article’s sub-headline was ‘Koon also wanted Utar residential village named after him, says MCA division chief’.

The MCA division chief in question, Ipoh Timur’s Thong Fah Chong, had said Koon’s requests were not acceptable as they had “exceeded the university’s jurisdiction and [could be] deemed an interference in the management of the university”. Thong added that hostels could not be named at one’s whim and fancy.

In his immediate response, Koon countered that although it was correct that while the facility was to be named after him, what he had specified was that the hostel blocks should be named after the fundamental rights such as Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Freedom, or the qualities of integrity such as honesty, justice, etc.

Koon also categorically denied he had ever requested a seat on the Utar council, clarifying instead that he had agreed to Utar’s counter-proposal for a task force to oversee the construction of the hostels.

He said his requests, including for a seven-man task force (four from Utar and three to be nominated by him) to oversee the construction of the hostels, and for all construction contracts exceeding RM10,000 to be open to competitive tenders, were to ensure everything was done in the interest of the students. He said it was not meant to interfere with the management of the university. Continue reading “Why should MCA interfere with Utar?”

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RM30m for UTAR not taken up

By Teoh El Sen
Free Malaysia Today
SAT, 25 SEP 2010

PETALING JAYA: In August 2009, philanthropist Koon Yew Yin offered to donate RM30 million to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) to build hostels with recreational facilities at its Kampar campus in Perak.

But there has been no response from Utar to the generous gesture. Koon, 77, then withdrew his offer on Sept 12, this year.

However, on Sept 13, Utar’s board of trustees and council said it did not accept the RM30 million donation because of the “many conditions (imposed) such as setting up a foundation where he (Koon) will be chairman and be in full control over the spending of his money”.

Then on Sept 14, Utar issued a statement saying it did not turn down Koon’s offer but was still discussing it.

But Koon, who called for a press conference here yesterday, rubbished the claim he wanted to exercise full control over his money.

“Ever since I made my written RM30 million donation offer on Aug 18 last year, the Utar authorities have been using various means to delay accepting my offer. Now they have informed the public that the delay is because I want full control over the spending of my money,” said Koon.

“This is factually incorrect and misleading. Even if I had wanted control, common sense would dictate that I should have some control. But I did not say that,” he said. Continue reading “RM30m for UTAR not taken up”

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The MCA number game backfires

by Thomas Lee
My Sinchew
23.9.2010

The revelation that the senior private secretary of ex-Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has asked for the vehicle registration numbers MCA 1 to MCA 9999 in Malacca be reserved for MCA members is clearly a reflection of the high-handed manner a small-time political administrator in the Barisan Nasional abused his little derived authority.

Current Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha has confirmed that such a request was contained in a memorandum dated 17 Feruary 2010 and addressed to Road Transport Department (RTD) director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan.

Tee Keat has denied that he had endorsed the memorandum written to the RTD director-general by his private secretary, saying that “I still remember, among the things that came to my attention which I rejected included this memorandum, although I had returned to duty in March after some health problems.”

Kong, meanwhile, said that the instruction would be rescinded.

“Nobody can reserve any number for the MCA. It is part of the sequence of the way that the RTD issues the registration number and according to the state,” he said.

This ignominious and scandalous incident is certainly more serious and shameful than that of the so-called Support Letters Scandal in Selangor, in which swift and harsh action was taken against the errant municipal councillor by the state government and the DAP. Continue reading “The MCA number game backfires”

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Congrats Nazri for being the first in Cabinet to declare he is Malaysian first and race second – Ministers who refuse to make such declaration should be dropped from Cabinet

Congrats to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz for being the first in Cabinet to declare that he is Malaysian first Malay second in his open letter in reply to Awang Selamat of Utusan Malaysia (The Malaysian Insider).

Why it has taken more than six months since my challenge to Cabinet Ministers during the debate on the Royal Address in Parliament on March 18, 2010 to declare that they are Malaysian first and race second is really beyond me, as it demonstrates their total lack of support, commitment and political will to make Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy work and suceeed.

I had at the time posed three simple tests of 1Malaysia to determine whether all the Cabinet Minsiters were sincerely and seriously committed to Najib’s 1Malaysia, viz:

• Whether he or she agrees to the establishment of an Opposition-headed Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia;

• Is he or she prepared to declare that the basis of 1Malaysia is “ketuanan rakyat Malaysia” and not “ketuanan Melayu”; and

• Is he or she prepared to endorse the objective of 1Malaysia as defined by the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap to create a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion or region second.

Continue reading “Congrats Nazri for being the first in Cabinet to declare he is Malaysian first and race second – Ministers who refuse to make such declaration should be dropped from Cabinet”

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Is NEM a pipe dream?

Breaking Views
The Malaysian Insider
August 15, 2010

AUG 15 — Tun Abdul Razak Hussein could never have imagined that his brainchild, the New Economic Policy (NEP), would ever split the country.

That it has 40 years after coming into being. Meant to eradicate poverty among all Malaysians and uplift the Bumiputeras who were economically backward then, it is now seen as the sacrosanct right of every Malay.

Especially the corporate ones who fear losing their tranche of Approved Permits (APs), shares and government contracts.

The NEP’s great defender today is Datuk Ibrahim Ali, the diminutive Perkasa chief with lofty ambitions of keeping privileges as Malay rights. With him, to a certain extent, is Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who argues the policy is needed until the Malays reach their targets. Continue reading “Is NEM a pipe dream?”

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The consequences of sleeping with the enemy

by Mariam Mokhtar

MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s comments about both Umno and PAS using religion to dominate the Malays and influence their vote, is a bit too little, too late. For decades, he, like previous MCA leaders, pandered to the wishes of Umno. Now that PAS has teamed up with DAP and PKR to become a credible opposition party, it is Dr. Chua who must contemplate his standing in his community and evaluate the worth of his party’s friendship with Umno.

Dr. Chua’s hypocritical attack on PAS is ill-judged and offensive. PAS have always been consistent in its Islamic roots but when it morphed into a modern Islamist party, it created panic in Umno.

He should direct his vitriol at Umno only, for it jumped onto the religious bandwagon, to appear more conservative than PAS so as to lure Malay voters.

Perhaps it is Dr. Chua who has been caught on the hop, just as in his previous indiscretion?

Dr. Chua urged the Chinese community to think about the impact if PAS were to rule at the federal level. He said, “Do not be too optimistic that if PAS comes to power, the country will be free from corruption and other problems”.

This is a bit rich coming from him. Is this an attempt to suck up to Prime Minister Najib, to Umno or to his own party and community? Was he as voluble complaining about the excesses, in previous years? Continue reading “The consequences of sleeping with the enemy”

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DAP chides Chua’s negative portrayal of Muslim nations

by Susan Loone | Aug 7, 10 11:57am

Malaysiakini

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has today rubbished the views of MCA chief Dr Chua Soi Lek, who has portrayed Muslim countries as “poor, backward and corrupt”.

Lim (right in photo) urged Chua to learn more about the history of Islamic civilisation, whose global empires had not only contributed breathtaking art and architecture, but also the introduction of numbers, algebra and astronomy.

“Muslim countries are suffering from the same problem suffered by India and China previously.

“Only when India and China were free, independent and not dominated by imperialist powers, that they were able to realise their potential and take their place in the world stage as economic powers,” he said at International Integrity Conference 2010 today in Penang.

“I believe that Muslim nations can also recapture their past glories if they were allowed to be similarly unshackled like India and China,” he added. Continue reading “DAP chides Chua’s negative portrayal of Muslim nations”

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Biggest flaw in Soi Lek’s new-fangled theory is whether he would back down from it when pressured by UMNO

The main objective of MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek’s new-fangled theory that Malaysia had been trapped for a decade as a middle-income nation because of “non-progressive” competition between UMNO and PAS is to pass-the-buck and disclaim MCA responsibility for the deplorable state of the Malaysian nation 53 years after Merdeka to the extent that one Cabinet Minister had warned that Malaysia could go backrupt in the year 2019!

However, the biggest flaw for Chua’s new-fangled theory is whether he would back down from it when pressured by UMNO!

In the first place, Malaysia had been stuck in a middle-income nation trap for some two decades and not just the past 10 years – as admitted by the New Economic Model that since becoming an upper-middle income country in 1992, Malaysia has largely stayed where it is.

Can this be solely explained by the competition between Umno and PAS in using religion to strengthen their influence resulting in “non-progressive policies”? Continue reading “Biggest flaw in Soi Lek’s new-fangled theory is whether he would back down from it when pressured by UMNO”

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Who decided on the Cabinet gag order yesterday on any public discussion of “Allah” controversy?

Who decided on the Cabinet gag order on any public discussion of the “Allah” controversy announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after the Cabinet meeting yesterday?

Was it with the full support of the four MCA Ministers and all other non-Muslim Cabinet Ministers – or did they express and register their protest and objection?

Malaysians had been told that the Cabinet operates on the principle of consensus – which means that if there is one Minister objecting, a decision on a new policy or measure would not be taken by the Cabinet.

If so, if the four MCA Ministers had spoken out against the gag order and asked the Cabinet to consider resolving the long-protracted “Allah” controversy by deciding that the Home Ministry should withdraw its appeal against the Lau Bee Lan judgment in the Kuala Lumpur High Court in January this year
Continue reading “Who decided on the Cabinet gag order yesterday on any public discussion of “Allah” controversy?”

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MCA, stand firm or close shop

By Thomas Lee
MySinChew.com

The arrogance of Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in giving a stern warning on Monday 3 August 2010 to the MCA over the “Allah” issue simply cannot be stomached and tolerated.

If the MCA has any dignity and integrity, it should not allow itself to be so severely rebuked and dictated to publicly by an “equal” partner in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

The MCA is right in standing up for the right of the non-Muslim community to be allowed to freely practise and express their religious faiths using any word they deem fit in Bahasa Malaysia, which is their national language.

The MCA is absolutely right to ask the federal government, of which it is purportedly an essential component, to rescind the ban on non-Muslims using of the word “Allah”, after Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein expressed regrets over the decision to ban its use by his predecessor. Continue reading “MCA, stand firm or close shop”

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Will the 4 MCA Ministers ignore Muhyiddin’s most improper/unwarranted “stern warning” and raise at Cabinet tomorrow issue of Home Ministry withdrawing its appeal on “Allah” controversy?

The Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had acted completely out of turn in issuing a most improper and unwarranted “stern warning” to MCA to accept the decision of the government and should not trigger another debate on the word “Allah”.

Does this mean that the MCA leadership, despite having four Ministers in Cabinet, are not allowed to raise in tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting a proposal to ask the Ministers to take a policy decision to withdraw the Home Ministry’s appeal against the Lau Bee Lan judgment of the Kuala Lumpur High Court in January which allowed the Catholic Church to use the word “Allah” in the Bahasa Malaysia section of its publication, Herald?

Such a proposal in tomorrow’s Cabinet would be most timely, appropriate and fully in accord with the national interests in view of the admission by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein that his predecessor Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar should not have banned the word “Allah” from being used by the Catholic Church.

Are there two classes of Ministers – those who can raise issues in Cabinet and ask for policy decisions to be made or reviewed and the lower class of Ministers who cannot raise issues which are regarded as “sensitive” by the first class of Ministers?
Continue reading “Will the 4 MCA Ministers ignore Muhyiddin’s most improper/unwarranted “stern warning” and raise at Cabinet tomorrow issue of Home Ministry withdrawing its appeal on “Allah” controversy?”

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MCA Ministers and leaders should show at least equal concern for “Justice for 27 million Malaysians who are victims of the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal” than “Justice for Ling Liong Sik”

MCA leaders, including Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung, lined up to give support to former MCA President and Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik after he was charged with cheating the Cabinet in the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

Without commenting on Ling’s case, Malaysians are entitled to expect that MCA Ministers and leaders should show at least equal concern for “Justice for 27 million Malaysians who are victims of the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal” than “Justice for Ling Liong Sik”.

What have the MCA national leadership, and in particular the four MCA Ministers, done to ensure justice for the 27 million Malaysians in connection with the PKFZ scandal?

Did the MCA national leadership and the MCA Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha prioritise the interests of the 27 million Malaysians when he overrode the decision of the Port Klang Authority (PKA) and directed it to pay its PKFZ bond obligation of RM222.58 million to Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) special purpose vehicle Free Zone Capital Bhd (FZCB)? Continue reading “MCA Ministers and leaders should show at least equal concern for “Justice for 27 million Malaysians who are victims of the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal” than “Justice for Ling Liong Sik””

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Every Cabinet Minister and Barisan Nasional component party should take a stand – whether in support of Muhyiddin or Nazri on Perkasa and formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan Perkasas

Two diametrically opposite stand on the recrudescence of racist posturings and outpourings in Malaysia 53 years after Merdeka, 47 years after formation of Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak and 15 months after Prime Minister’s Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s proclamation of 1Malaysia policy.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz rightly smacked down the ridiculous idea of the MCA Vice President Datuk Lim Siang Chai for a Chinese version of Perkasa to counter Perkasa.

I fully agree with Nazri when he described Siang Chai’s suggestion was “ridiculous” as it would only cause racial tension among the Malays and Chinese at a time when the government should be defusing it.

It is utterly shocking that a Deputy Minister of the Najib administration which advocated a 1Malaysia policy could envisage and even publicly propose the formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban and Kadazan Perkasa to counter the extremist racist posturings and outpourings of Perkasa, as it is a great disservice to five decades of Malaysian nation-building and a total repudiation of Najb’s 1Malaysia policy to create a vibrant, productive and competitive nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic group second.

But what is even more shocking is that the MCA Deputy Minister’s ridiculous suggestion of a plethora of ethnically-based Perkasas has the blessings of the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who came to Siang Chai’s defence. Continue reading “Every Cabinet Minister and Barisan Nasional component party should take a stand – whether in support of Muhyiddin or Nazri on Perkasa and formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan Perkasas”

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Chinese Perkasa the most irresponsible and worse possible response by MCA to Perkasa

The proposal by the MCA vice president and Deputy Finance Minister Senator Datuk Lim Siang Chai for the formation of a Chinese version of Perkasa to counter Perkasa is the most irresponsible and worst possible MCA response.

It is also the latest and most potent proof of the complete failure of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia to unite Malaysians of diverse races, religions, cultures and languages in the country.

Is it seriously suggested that the way into the future for Malaysia is for the sprouting fo ethnic versions of Perkasa – not only Chinese Perkasa, but also Indian Perkasa, Iban Perkasa, Kadazan Perkasa and Orang Asli Perkasa?

If Najib’s 1Malaysia policy is successful as a meaningful Malaysian nation-building policy, there would be no Perkasa let alone the ridiculous suggestion by a top MCA leader for the formation of a Chinese Perkasa to counter Perkasa.
Continue reading “Chinese Perkasa the most irresponsible and worse possible response by MCA to Perkasa”