Kuan Yew still keen to know about welfare of Chinese in Malaysia
It's been nearly 50 years but the man who cried when Malaysia kicked Singapore out of the federation is still curious about how the Chinese in Malaysia are doing.
It was telling that former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's first diplomatic meeting in his week-long visit to Malaysia was with MCA leaders last night. He only met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.
The 90-minute meeting between Singapore's minister mentor and five MCA leaders led by president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat saw an exchange on various issues that continue to concern the Chinese in Malaysia.
It is no secret that education and economic policies are a constant thorn in the side for MCA, who are now struggling to regain the support of the Chinese electorate, where eight out of 10 are said to support the opposition.
Ong told reporters that Lee exchanged notes on the "competitiveness of the Chinese and the political situation in Malaysia."
The Malaysian Insider understands that education systems were also on the agenda and the presence of MCA's education pointman and Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong would have made for very current discussions on government scholarships and classes conducted in Chinese.
Ong also called the meet a "learning experience" and a source told The Malaysian Insider that the 86-year-old statesman's knowledge of Malaysian history could put some Malaysian leaders to shame.
Lee regaled his guests at his presidential suite in Mandarin Oriental with tales from the past, including his encounters with his counterpart the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was Malaysia's first prime minister until 1970.
The conversation was mostly in English and Lee was his usual astute self but there were some light-hearted moments involving health secrets which left the MCA leaders "hoping to be as fit as Lee when we are his age."
Another highlight of Lee's week-long visit will be the mainly Chinese island of Penang.
He will meet leaders of two majority Chinese parties – DAP which now controls the state with Lim Guan Eng as chief minister and Gerakan as represented by Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon who is now in Najib's Cabinet.
