Chua: Pakatan’s shameful democracy
MCA chief Dr Chua Soi Lek questions the status of Anwar, Kit Siang and Nik Aziz in their respective parties.
Leven Woon, FMT
MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek today used his presidential speech at his party’s annual meeting to snap at Pakatan Rakyat in a way to boost morale for his cadres in the run up to the general election.
He lashed out at Pakatan for claiming to be advocating democracy when the three main leaders of PKR, DAP and PAS were not elected to their positions in their parties.
Hitting out at PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Chua said it was embarrasing for Pakatan to claim that they were key promoters of democracy and reforms.
“The three big Pakatan leaders – Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Nik Aziz – have something in common. They are appointed leaders and not elected.
“There is no direct election. They choose themselves as the supreme leader of the party but keep chanting about democracy. How shameful!” he said.
In comparison, Chua praised Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for amending the Umno constitution to increase the number of delegates eligible to elect him as party president from 3,000 to 400,0000.
The MCA’s 59th annual general assembly will be the last one before the polls are called – legally must be called by end of April next year although speculations are rife that Najib would be doing so sooner.
MCA is trying its best to boost the morale of its members following a deflating show in the 2008 general election, attempting to regain the lost support among the Chinese community.
MCA ready for GE war
Throughout his 45-minute fiery speech, Chua repeatedly said that MCA was ready for an election “war” and would march to the battlefield once Najib “beats the war drums”.
Chua urged MCA members to be confident of the party as they have frequently defeated arch rival DAP in the previous elections.
“We have fought with the DAP in the last 10 general elections and the record shows that we have defeated DAP seven times, lost to them twice, and drawn once,” he said.
In an attempt to urge party members to close ranks, he also announced that the party would expel party saboteurs.
He said from now on, members should now focus on the objective of strengthening MCA and to defeat Pakatan.
“(You should) think and discuss about how to defeat Pakatan in the morning, afternoon, night or even late night,” he said.
Kit Siang’s volte face
Taking a further swipe at Pakatan’s proposal to abolish the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, Chua revealed that DAP’s Kit Siang had been a keen supporter of the fund when it was mooted in parliament in 1997.
“The rakyat should be reminded that the PTPTN which exists today was introduced by Anwar Ibrahim when he was the deputy prime minister.
“The parliament Hansard on May 14, 1997 indicates that it also received support from the then Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang,” he said.
