The politics of issues and the issue of politicising
Today, Chinese politics and MCA are continuing to move to the periphery in an atmosphere of one-race dominance and discriminative-based politics, fanned by the chauvinistic support of dubious organizations.
By Stanley Koh, Free Malaysia Today
Politicians seldom forget what a tongue is for. And MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek proved that he was no exception when newsmen pressed him to respond to Lim Guan Eng’s recent message to Chinese guilds and associations.
The Penang Chief Minister had reminded the associations of their self-proclaimed independence and integrity, saying they should not accept the MCA invitation to a meeting of its presidential council.
Chua retorted with sound bites worthy of a politician: “We are not in the politics of politicising issues; we are in the politics of solving issues.”
But why would such a dispassionate reminder be so irritating and unwelcoming to MCA? It is not as if it has never indulged in the politics of politicising issues. Indeed, the party’s history tells us otherwise.
Of course, MCA cannot survive without Chinese support, and it must do all it can to harvest goodwill. This is only politically expedient. The show must go on, especially in wooing influential associations, whose membership can be pervasive, embracing all types of trades, clans and walks of life.
Dialogues between MCA and the Chinese associations have never been blindingly successful. They have not resulted in changes to economic policies detrimental to non-Malay communities or even managed to bring about a meaningful correction of deviant implementation of policies. Nevertheless, there is a consensus that the party must continue to play what role it can with its limited voice in the Cabinet.
But why a sudden change from open dialogues—as practised under previous presidents—to private discussions in an internal party council?
MCA would have pulled off this sort of a political move in the good old days, when the Malaysian political landscape was still a happy fairy tale of justice, good governance and fair play. (At least that is what it would seem like when contrasted against present realities.)
Furthermore, that kind of old-school politics is becoming passé as the nation witnesses the emergence of a two-party system, with the parliamentary opposition even ruling some states.
