Isn’t your party raced-based too? MCA veep asks Dr M

MMO) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent criticism of MCA for being a raced-based political party is akin to the pot calling the kettle black, Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said today.

The MCA vice-president panned the former prime minister for being hypocritical by ignoring that his own Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), which only accord full membership to Bumiputera, is also race-based.

“If at all he was trying to apple-polish DAP by way of ridiculing MCA, then Dr Mahathir was actually ridiculing his very own new party. This clearly shows his hypocrisy,” Chew told Malay Mail Online.

The deputy women, family and community development minister added that MCA has always been transparent about being Chinese-based yet supports rights for all Malaysians as part of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

“MCA has all-along been a Chinese-based political party-an identity we never need to hide,” Chew said.

“In this regard, MCA’s direction of a ‘race-based party with a multi-racial approach’ has remained consistent ever since the era of our party’s founder-cum-first President Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock.

“We uphold his legacy where he exhorted that the Malayan Chinese Association motto is not ‘for Chinese only’, but ‘for all Malayans’,” she added.

Last Sunday, Dr Mahathir who made a historic appearance at the DAP national convention, claimed the Opposition pary to be more Malaysian than MCA.

The PPBM chairman also praised DAP for declaring its intent to uphold the Federal Constitution, claiming that MCA never openly pledged to do so.