The Malaysian Insight

DAP has become what it accused MCA of being while under Barisan Nasional – “lapdogs” of the ruling coalition, said former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

He said DAP had scarcely spoken up on important issues in its first year in government, and is no different than MCA when BN was in power.

Before being decimated in the 14th general election last year, MCA, BN’s main Chinese party, had been accused of being subservient to Umno and for failing to raise alleged wrongdoing of BN leaders, such as 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and challenge certain race-based issues.

“DAP seems to have gone mute and is blindly following (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decisions on critical issues, scarcely arguing about them. 

“They used to champion United Examination Certificate’s recognition, but now they have not even spoken about it.

“And what about allocations for Chinese schools? And then there’s Dr Mahathir’s and Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali’s Bumiputera economic policies, where were the critical voices, especially DAP’s?” Dr Chua said in an interview.

Despite his criticism on DAP’s silence, Dr Chua said the party’s ministers were performing well.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is finance minister, while party leaders with cabinet positions are Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

But Dr Chua accused DAP of being silent as it wanted to safeguard these positions.

He cited the episode involving the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, whom Dr Mahathir did not want to replace  after Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee quit Umno to join Bersatu.

While DAP did not issue any statement on the party’s stand about the matter, individual leaders, voiced their disagreement with the initial decision to retain Kiandee, as Pakatan Harapan had stated before the election that PAC would be led by an opposition MP. Among them was Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh.

Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh has also frequently criticised the PH government failing to amend or repeal oppressive laws, such as the Sedition Act.

Chua, however, praised PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar for resigning her seat on the PAC to protest against the decision to retain Kiandee. Nurul Izzah rescinded her resignation when an opposition MP was appointed to the post.

“If I’m still in MCA’s leadership, I’d do to DAP what they did to us back then and call them Dr Mahathir’s lapdogs,” Dr Chua.

Dr Chua, who was MCA president from 2010 to 2013, said MCA should now emulate DAP’s tactics when it was in the opposition.

“But we don’t see MCA leaders criticising DAP’s hypocrisy much,” he said.

MCA’s president is now Dr Wee Ka Siong. He represents Ayer HItam, the party’s sole seat in Parliament following its dismal performance in GE14.

Dr Chua praised Wee’s one-man struggle, noting that it was difficult for him to be the lone MCA voice in the opposition.

“Wee is playing the role of the opposition. It is unfortunate that there is only him, you need more than one person to perform checks and balances, you need a team. You need to perform this role from the state to the federal level, only then will the people consider you an effective opposition.” – May 11, 2019.