MCA asks voters to forget past

(The Malay mail) – MCA leaders have asked the electorate not to dwell on the past but look forward as the party seeks to rebuild itself after its defeat in the 12th general election.

The party, which won 31 parliamentary seats from 40 it contested in 2004, managed to garner only 15 parliamentary seats in 2008. Its deputy president, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, admitted the problems faced by MCA and denied the party was experiencing denial syndrome.

“We are not the one with denial syndrome and we do not try to say that MCA is supported by the young,” he told The Malay Mail.

“We know in that in certain areas, the young have a wrong perception of us, so we have to work harder. We know that we have to change.”

Liow explained that MCA is not a party of individuals and stressed the public are waiting for what the party can do in the future.

“This party does not only belong to MCA members but to the Chinese community. The Chinese community has been fighting and supporting this MCA since day one.

“It is a really big asset to the Chinese. Thick and thin, it is with Chinese community. Party leaders can come and go.

“So please protect the party and not because of certain individuals you are willing to destroy the party.”

Party vice-president and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen echoed Liow’s remarks when asked about the alleged practices of corruption plaguing the party leaders.

“(Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib Razak has asked us to go forward and must not lag behind. Ong Tee Keat is behind, so we must look forward,” she said.

MCA  vice-president Donald Lim said the current party leadership was united and ready to face the coming general election, speculated to be as early as January.

“We know we lost so many seats in 2008, partly because of leadership problems. They select who they wanted as candidates and that was part of our downfall in 2008,” he said.