Lead by example, MCA tells Kit Siang

(The Star) – MCA has called on DAP and Lim Kit Siang to first lead by example before considering taking up the prime minister’s position should Pakatan Harapan come to power in the next general election.

MCA Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said this in reference to a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who called on the DAP veteran to take up the PM’s post should Pakatan win.

Ti in a statement on Monday said Lim should now “right the wrong” and not play second fiddle to PKR or Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail who had “not shown any political leadership besides being a political proxy”.

“Lim Kit Siang and DAP have been talking about meritocracy and a non-ethnic approach in mainstream politics. However, DAP has shown twice that they have failed to lead the Opposition by giving up the leadership of the Opposition to PKR,” he said.

He said this was despite Lim being the most senior and seasoned politician in Pakatan and DAP having the most number of parliamentary seats.

“If the Opposition wants to be an effective Opposition, the cronyism or nepotism in Pakatan must first be eradicated or seen to be removed,” he said.

Ti’s sentiments were echoed by Gerakan youth chief Tan Keng Liang.

In a statement on Monday, Tan reminded DAP that it too had surrendered the Perak Mentri Besar post to PAS, which had only a few seats in the state.

He said such a move had elevated PAS’ stature in Peninsular Malaysia.

“DAP had promoted PAS from an insular party confined to Kelantan and Terengganu to a cosmopolitan state like Perak,” he said, calling on DAP and Lim to expel PAS from the Selangor state government.

He added that that while DAP had condemned MCA for working with the likes of Umno and MIC, the parties allies were also race- and religious-based.

“DAP had condemned MCA for working with Umno, MIC and other parties as being racist and communal. What is DAP doing with PAS and now with Pribumi and Amanah,” he said.

Tan also questioned DAP’s position in the Opposition coalition as Lim had previously labelled former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the “father of racism” and even taken former deputy prime minister and current Pribumi president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to task for saying that he is Malay first and Malaysian second.