Brewery donation controversy will cost govt, says ex-MP

The recent controversy surrounding donations by breweries to Chinese schools will cost the government, a former DAP MP warned.

(FMT) – Kua Kia Soong said the results of the recent Sungai Bakap by-election in Penang has already shown that the Chinese community is losing faith in the unity government.

In the July 6 by-election in Penang, only 47% of the registered Chinese voters turned up to cast their ballot, with 10% voting for Perikatan Nasional.

Kua said the recent episode has further angered the community who view criticism over such donations as an interference with their rights when it comes to education.

Kua, who authored a book titled “200 Years of Chinese Education in Malaysia: A Protean Saga”, said education was an important issue for the Chinese community, adding that wherever they settled, “they have built schools”.

He also said the Chinese community had in the past been forced to raise funds for the setting up of schools themselves because the colonial government and later the post-colonial administration were not supportive of mother tongue education.

The community has always demanded state support by way of fair and equal financial allocations for Chinese and Tamil schools, he added.

“So this (latest episode) will lead to more disaffection and disinterest in politics and politicians,” Kua, the Petaling Jaya MP from 1990 to 1995, told FMT.

Fund-raising for Chinese schools has become a political football after PAS criticised a deputy minister who was shown accepting a RM3 million mock cheque displaying the Tiger Beer logo at a fund-raising event for SJK(C) Tche Min in Sungai Pelek, Selangor two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, current Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung of PKR told FMT the Chinese community tends to view education with “near-religious fervour”.

He said the issue could impact on who the community backs in an election, irrespective of party.

“But not because of the brewery issue. The community generally feels under-appreciated,” he said.

He also said he has not heard back from Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man following an invitation extended to the PAS deputy president to visit Chinese medium schools.

Lee had offered to take the Kubang Kerian MP on a tour of the schools to explain the history of Chinese education and the contributions of Chinese national-type schools to a diverse society.

“I am still waiting for an answer from Tuan Ibrahim.”