JULY 4 — Somehow, there were people who dread to accept facts because many times the facts were falling short of their ideals. There are four facts that I would like to mention:

Fact No. 1

The Chinese tsunami was raised by PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak after GE13. It was a belated statement to me as pre-election survey and observation showed the Chinese votes had deviated one-sided to PR.

BN had firmly denied the tendency of the Chinese community then. Instead, they claimed there was a revert of Chinese support.

As the result of GE13 unfolded, the Chinese tsunami had in fact made both Umno and the DAP the biggest winners of the election as predicted by some observers.

Liew Chin Tong — the DAP MP for Kluang — in an interview, had reportedly said, “The young among the Chinese had begun to support PR since 2008. However, many of the middle-aged and female voters, especially those in southern part of the peninsula still voted for BN in 2008.

“It was in GE13 that Chinese from all walks of life, youth, women and elderly had rendered their unreserved support to PR.”

A renowned Chinese commentator had commented in his column recently: “As GE13 was approaching, PR in their unrestrained electoral campaign had deliberately ignored the sting of party-hopping by their elected MPs and assemblymen years ago in GE12.

“They earnestly invoked their supporters to vote solely for the party regardless of whom the candidates were and there was absolutely no leeway for that matter.

“Subsequently there was tremendous ideological surge among the Chinese which precipitated the Chinese tsunami. More than 90 per cent of the Chinese voters cast their votes for PR.”

PAS central committee member Dr Dzukefly Ahmad said: “We had Chinese tsunami in 2013 and Malay tsunami in 1999.” This was a fact. Therefore isn’t it time to ponder how to have an all-people tsunami?

Fact No. 2

The newly-appointed Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron had released a four-week experimental measure to abolish the road closure in Jonker Walk with the intention to probe if the move could ease and dredge traffic congestion in the city of Malacca.

Unfortunately, the livelihood of the street hawkers in Jonker Walk would be inevitably affected.

In no time, this issue had become a sizzling focus of the Chinese media and the first post-GE13 Chinese political issue contended by the DAP and MCA.

According to the DAP, it was BN’s post-GE13 revenge towards PR’s supporters (Chinese) and the next target would probably be Petaling Street.

Ironically, the journalists from those Chinese media did not question the reason behind the DAP’s protest against the move to develop Jonker Street into a pedestrian walk 13 years ago.

Why the DAP did not consider the importance of Jonker Walk as a tourist industry then?

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai appeared firm in his quest to solve the issue.

Another MCA MP Datuk Wee Ka Siong — on the other hand — had proposed an alternative plan to Malacca government to overcome the traffic congestion issue.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, however, alleged that the root of Jonker Walk issue was due to the absence of a Chinese representative in the Cabinet.

The Malacca MCA leaders had blamed the community for not appreciating the kindness of former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

Let’s not discuss the motive behind the move. The measure to abolish the road closure was within the legislative power of the state government. It was indeed a juridical concept.

It had evolved into a Chinese ethnic issue and far from being a general public issue as claimed by Lim Kit Siang.

If it was a general public issue, leaders of the coalition such as Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu should had been invited to participate in the movement to defend the street. Should the dispute persist, the eventual beneficiaries would be Umno and the DAP while the MCA, PAS and PKR would be out of luck. In the eyes of BN, the Chinese votes were no longer important.

Fact No. 3

The verdict on Chee Gaik Yap’s case was yet another issue sensationalised.

The injustice and anguish suffered by the family were felt by many. As the media were carrying out their duty to expose the injustice of the judicial system, they should never compromise their responsibility to emphasise the importance of professional procedure in handling a legal proceeding report.

They were not supposed to give an incomplete account of a case and subsequently impose their “media” verdict against the verdict by the court.

As a matter of fact, Chee’s case soon evolved into a ethnic issue as it was widely reported and spread by both the print and online Chinese media.

Regrettably, the media had metaphorically turned the case into that of an oppressed Chee and her family by a tyranny from another ethnic group.

The major complication arose when no one had actually grasped the complete and detailed facts of the case and court proceedings, but they presumptuously condemned those they presumed guilty.

Hence, the provoked followers of these media became self-appointed judges and pronounced their own version of the verdict.

Politicians from in and out of the government had also seized the opportunity to manipulate Chee’s case for their own interests.

Yet, what is the conclusion of this tragic case? No doubt the media had successfully hyped it.

Ironically, the beneficiary of such commotion was Umno though they had not spoken a word neither had they lifted a finger. Simply because when the Chinese were enraged, the Malays would become uneasy.

Fact No. 4

At in their recent AGM in Cameron Highlands, the president of Parti Sosialis Malaysia, Dr Nasir Hashim, in his opening address, said PR had belittled their friendship. As PR was defeated, its leaders did not hesitate to pin the blame on PSM and slanderously accused PSM for not offering their help. PR had also ignored the fact they had sabotaged PSM before GE13.

He further claimed that PSM had been betrayed and backstabbed by their PR friends. As the people were hoping for the victory of PR, PSM was willing to compromise and hope to challenge BN on a one-on-one basis. In the history of PSM struggle, they had never been shaken when confronted by enemies. They endured beating, imprisonment and charges until the end.

He also insinuated that due to the infighting for power in PR, there were multi-cornered contests in GE13. As the result, BN became the beneficiary. There had been perpetual disputes among the member parties in PR. They jostled among themselves to field their own candidates in some constituencies.

There were fights to determine who would be the chief minister or ministers in the coalition government.

After all that had been said and done, Nasir’s remarks remained unacceptable to many. The general belief is PR was untouchable.

For the sake of wresting Putrajaya, there should not be any criticism regarding PR. Nevertheless, if facts were not given due respect, the continuous condoning of PR’s ill behaviour would only bring more injuries to the coalition itself. PR would eventually reap what they had sown.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.