KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Chinese Malaysians should not forget that MCA has always fought to protect the community’s rights and dignity and will continue to do so even though it is no longer in government, its outgoing president said at the party’s 65th annual general meeting today.
In an emotional message, a teary-eyed Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai expressed his hope that the once-mighty MCA will be able to return to mainstream politics within a targeted 10 years, even as the Chinese party readies to vote later today on whether to remain or leave the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition of which it is a founding member.
“MCA’s future and the continuous progress and deepening of its reform lies with all of you here.
“As for the Chinese community, which is facing a tough and challenging future, I have this to say: When you realise that nobody in the ruling coalition is taking Chinese rights and dignity seriously anymore, please do not forget, you still have MCA,” the visibly emotional former minister said in his speech to loud applause from delegates.
He urged the new MCA leadership — helmed by the party’s sole surviving MP Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong — to learn from past experiences and ensure its reforms will be accepted by the ethnic Chinese community, which will be translated into votes at the next GE due in five years.
“MCA and the community are inseparable and mutually dependent, and this will never change.
“The community may have abandoned MCA, but we cannot bear to see a vacuum exist as far as protection of the rights of Chinese community is concerned; otherwise, our future generation will have nobody to turn to,” Liow said.
He added that even though MCA is race-based, it has consistently adopted a multiracial approach from day one as the party’s founding mission and ideology are clear: Safeguarding the rights of Chinese while joining hands with its coalition partner to build up the nation since achieving Independence.
“MCA is the prime mover and guardian of multiracial, moderate politics, and our firmness in defending diversity and moderation is second to none among all political parties.
Liow also said the party did not deny the fact that Chinese voters overwhelmingly supported and gave a strong mandate to DAP in the general election.
“Since the Chinese community entrusted all its political strength to DAP, its expectation of the party should be just as strong.
“The most important point is, the Chinese community should not view its support of DAP as natural, since it never owed DAP anything,” he said.
MCA delegates are scheduled to vote later today on whether to remain or leave the BN coalition.
