Sunday, October 12, 2008

Change or BE DESTROYED...

I read on The Star this morning (or rather The Star Online) an article entitled "Change or be Changed" by Wong Chun Wai on his column ON THE BEAT. I think that this article hit all the right notes but it is rather mild on its analysis. I have produced the article below in italics with my personal comments (and ideas) interposed in between.

Change or be changed
ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

The new MCA leadership has to speak the language of the new Malaysians. They can no longer adopt a communal approach but must instead engage the younger voters.

BY Saturday, the MCA would have a new leadership. A new party president, deputy president and possibly a new line-up of vice-presidents.

The clear favourite to win the party presidency at this point is Datuk Ong Tee Keat, who is being challenged by former Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng.

Ong has a huge task ahead for him as we must acknowledge that the political landscape has changed after March 8. It cannot be business as usual. Like Umno, the MCA must realise it has to change or be changed in the next general election.

The analysis so far is true - however there are 2 points that I disagree - Firstly, By saying that Datuk Ong is a clear favourite and saying that he has a huge task in front of him - you are stoking bias. Please state your reference or poll (from amongst the electorate - i.e. in this case the Central Delegates) prior to making general statements like the above.

Secondly, the MCA MUST realise that IT HAS TO CHANGE or BE DESTROYED in the next election. The next election is a LIFE or DEATH situation for the party.

But the MCA, despite the opposition onslaught, still has 15 MPs, which provides the party a decent position to bargain. This is unlike the MIC and Gerakan, which have only two MPs each and face a Herculean task of rebuilding themselves.

For a start, the MCA cannot continue its mono-ethnic features, even if the fact remains that it is a communal-based party. Its leaders have to learn to use English and Bahasa Malay­sia, in a much stronger manner, at their meetings, conventions and even on their banners. It must also take up issues affecting other communities.

This is why I would not support ONG for the role. He has consistently used only Mandarin and has refused to debate in English and Mandarin. If he is elected president of the MCA, it will face oblivion as he will be unable to connect with non-mandarin speaking Chinese! This is evident, most Malaysians - in particular the younger Malaysians are primarily BM or English speaking with at most a basic Mandarin education at our primary schools. They will not understand a leader that revels in speaking in roundabout classical Chinese. A leader of the MCA needs to be consise on understandable to the masses. A leader of the MCA need NOT be a classical scholar. Those days died with the demise of the Imperial system in China back in the early 1900s.

Unless it makes a serious effort to be more multi-racial in outlook, it will face serious competition from multi-racial parties like Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the DAP.

MCA leaders can be defensive about this by arguing about the racial dominance of Malays or Chinese in these parties but the point is that their doors are open to all.

Neither can the MCA continue to depend on its excellent service centres, financial support for Chinese schools, Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

This is a very good point. Thus, to even be a credible leader of the Chinese people - you have to be able to bring about Equality among Races. This means stepping up to the plate and opposing measures that cause inequality. This means standing up against the NEP. Anyone who says the NEP is an old issue while it remains an issue close to the heart of ALL MALAYSIANS is asleep and out of touch, irrespective if the person is young at the early 50s.

Changed expectations
The young voters, who make up over 60% of the electorate, regard such support as the right of taxpayers and responsibility of a political party.

Yes, it is unfortunate that they don’t ask the same from PKR, PAS or the DAP, and it seems unfair, but that is the reality that the MCA and other Barisan Nasional parties have to live with.

The expectations of Malaysians have changed. They expect MCA leaders to be arti­culate, not just in Mandarin, but to speak up intelligently and to be a voice of Malaysians. They expect to see MCA leaders with dignity and respect and that can only happen if the MCA leaders win back the respect of the community and Malaysians.

They have followed the American presidential election debates on TV and they expect a similar kind of quality from their leaders, regardless of their parties.

Once again, this argues against Ong. His refusal to DEBATE and connect with the people via TV in ENGLISH & MANDARIN shows that either he is arrogant - or just plain scared of putting his views on public record. If we do not hear your voice, how do we know if you can speak up intelligently and BE OUR VOICE!

They see a black man about to make history by winning the election and they ask why race, religion and gender should continue to feature so strongly in Malaysia. To put it blunt­ly, they are sick of the kind of race politics in Malaysia.

They want change and the first warning was on March 8. There will be no more signals four years down the line if the Barisan continues to sell the same product and formula, even as the voters are crying loudly for change.

Datuk Ong's videos, scripted and propoganda like, shows that he is still selling the same product and formula - while the people are crying for change! His lack of substance in the videos with 'inferred' meanings of 'climbing mountains', 'religious freedom' (also stated in today's THE STAR) is a direct contrast to Dato' Chua's statements released on You Tube - simple, consise positions. I rather have a leader that stands still on a podium with content than a leader that aspires to be a film star. If you want to be a film star, I suggest you don't run for president of the MCA - go instead for Cleo's Top Bachelors or Malaysian Idol.

We cannot deny that for the last 50 years, the Alliance and Barisan have performed well and developed Malaysia to this level. In all fairness, we need to revisit and recognise the contributions of Umno, the MCA and the MIC. The Barisan has brought stability and develop­ment to Malaysia; no one can deny this, not even the Opposition.

But history doesn’t sell. We can talk about Merdeka and the wisdom of our founding fathers and we can remind everyone of the Social Contract but it will just draw a blank look from our young. In their lingo, it’s like “Duh?”

To the Internet and I-pod generation, these politicians don’t connect. The link is down, as they say in computer language, but these politicians sadly don’t seem to realise this.

History is an important part of the equation - but it is important to KNOW how MCA was like in the past. The MCA was a revolutionary party - one that fought to give the Chinese a home in this land and stand as equals with UMNO at the podium of independence.

So I suggest Datuk Ong to sit down as reevaluate his connection. He does not get it! What is the use of having YouTube videos that looks good without content? and then lock the comments? What is the use of having comments on your website - and ignores the feeling and intentions of the very readers?

Multi-racial outlook
Neither can we brush aside corruption, the abuse of power and arrogance of power. They see has-been politicians with tainted reputation seeking to stage a comeback.

Can Malay­sians be blamed if they have a cynical, if not downright pessimistic, view of their future?

Mr. Wong Chun Wai, I suggest you re-evaluate your comments on 'has-been' politicians with 'tainted' reputation. Do you by chance be mentioning Muhammad Taib, who was held in Brisbane for a monetary scandal? or do you have any chance be mentioning Mohd Isa with his brush with money politics?

What are you talking about? We are indeed a cynical bunch, pessimistic - but it is more directed AT THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP of spineless, useless leaders warming their seats of power. Leaders who have gone silent on corrupt practices like the PKFZ scandal and MCA's brush with mafia leaders.

Malaysians want to see a more transparent, more democratic, cleaner and fairer government.

We want to have a more transparent, democratic, cleaner and fairer governments! We need to have leaders that are willing to commit themselves to this endeavour and change the very fabric of our political culture! By just bringing in more e-government is not going to allow us to bring about change! In addition, if a leader that is 'commited to reform' insinuate himself with the current political dynasty - he is NOT a leader that can REFORM the party.

They want to see a more multi-racial outlook. They want to feel safe at home and on the streets, and they wonder why the Govern­ment and the police cannot carry out this simple task and prefer to blame the press, foreigners and everyone else for the rising crime rate except themselves.

Mr Wong, I suggest you read Dato' Chua's manifesto - which have incidentally touched on this issue. I quote:-

Bringing Safety and Security to All Malaysians

With a strong, transparent and accountable government in place, we need to start addressing issues that affect the daily lives of all Malaysians. Amongst the many issues the most important one is to ensure the safety and security of all Malaysians.

As such, I support the effort to INCREASE THE MANPOWER AND LEGAL/EVIDENCE TRAINING OF POLICE OFFICERS to help fight the growing menace of crime. A strong, professional, noncorrupt and rakyat friendly police force is the cornerstone of any effort to combat crime and securing the nation so that every Malaysian can feel safe on the roads, in their workplaces and schools and most importantly in their homes.


As for Datuk Ong - his words on this is...
NIL! ZERO! ZILCH!
He is more concerned about the environment that about the safety of Malaysians!

The young generation, so used to the freedom of expression on cyberspace, want to speak up freely without the threat of the Internal Security Act being thrown at them.

The MCA has to speak the language of the new Malaysians. Changes cannot be made overnight but steps need to be taken now.

Reforms alone in the MCA would not help the Barisan as the lead has to come from Umno too, as the dominant party of the ruling coalition.

The new leaders in MCA would have to face the New Malaysians from next week. Their duty is to bring in new ideas and adopt new approaches.

The language of New Malaysians need not come from a younger leader. It can come from an older leader that has the experience and wisdom to look beyond the short term. Deng Xiao Ping, Dr Mahathir were such leaders and it is my sincere belief that Dato' Chua is such a leader as well.

So CENTRAL DELEGATES, choose well - for you votes will determine if the MCA will ever get back into the groove of New Malaysians, giving it a place in the New Malaysia or be thrown out with the rest of old Malaysia, cast into the darkness of oblivion and the dustbins of history

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