Brewery sponsorship row hit ‘raw nerve’ says ex-MCA veep
Ti Lian Ker says apathy over funding of Chinese schools would dissuade Chinese voters.
(FMT) – A controversy over donations by breweries to Chinese schools hit a raw nerve with the Chinese community, says former MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker.
He said the controversy would be politically detrimental to the unity government as the Chinese electorate were banking on the government to provide more assistance to vernacular schools.
The judgemental stance of politicians on both sides only reflected a lack of empathy for the financial needs of the vernacular schools which received insufficient funds from the government, he said.
“A lack of understanding or sympathy, especially by the unity government for these vernacular schools will dissuade the Chinese voters who had backed the new government on the promises that there will be a more open, level playing field and better treatment for vernacular schools ,” he told FMT.
The former deputy unity minister said it was also counterproductive to pander to certain parties who took issue with donations by breweries in order to win over the Malay electorate.
“It does not guarantee an increase in votes from the community which the unity government is desperately seeking,” he said.
He said these politicians did not recognise the dire need of vernacular schools to raise funds from the public, including assistance from breweries and other “less preferred entities or activities”.
Earlier this week, social activist Kua Kia Soong said the government would pay a political price for the recent controversy.
Kua, a former MP and once with the DAP, said the recent episode has further angered the Chinese community who view criticism over such donations as an interference with their liberties and rights.
The matter came to public attention 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.
