MCA: Anwar gave nothing to Chinese schools as minister

(MM) – MCA continued today to target Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Chinese support in Kajang, telling the community the opposition leader did nothing for vernacular education when he had been in power.

MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the former education and deputy prime minister only contributed “RM10” to Chinese education, compared to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who allocated RM465 million last year.

“He does not have any track record in developing Chinese education in the country,” Liow told reporters after opening MCA’s operations centre for the by-election here today, referring to Anwar.

He also accused the PKR de facto chief of deceiving the people by engineering the by-election for the purpose of replacing Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as Selangor mentri besar.

“We’ll ensure that the BN candidate is not just loyal to Kajang, but will also defend the people,” said Liow.

Liow further claimed that an unspecified survey revealed “overwhelming support” in the Kajang state constituency for the new MCA leadership to be given a chance

Yesterday, the former health minister urged voters to “teach [Anwar] a lesson,” after blaming the opposition leader for suppressing Chinese schools and causing the protests that eventually led to the Ops Lalang security crackdown in 1987.

Ops Lalang took place after Chinese discontent over alleged interference in vernacular schools culminated in a 2,000-strong public demonstration involving both DAP and MCA.

The event increasingly appears to be MCA and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) main thrust against Anwar in the by-election for the state seat with a 41-per cent Chinese electorate.

PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh resigned as Kajang assemblyman last month, triggering a by-election that Anwar will contest in is shaping up to be a multi-cornered fight.

The unforced resignation is fuelling rumours that Anwar plans to join the state assembly in order to remove Khalid from office.

The by-election will be held on March 23 and nominations are scheduled for March 11.

Lee won the Kajang seat with a 6,824-vote majority in the elections held last May.