We won’t be hypocritical like DAP about narrowing racial divide, says MCA
Party vice-president Ti Lian Ker says party will seek common grounds to bridge divide between political parties identified by race or religion.
PETALING JAYA: MCA is not going to be “hypocritical or two-faced” like DAP about the need to seek common grounds and narrow the racial and religious divide in Malaysia, MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker said.
“We are not going to be in a denial and pretend that there is no racial or religious political divide in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
“However, we are going with the spirit of building consensus, understanding and narrowing any gap or differences among us.”
MCA has come under attack for supporting the signing of a historic charter last week by Umno and PAS to formalise their political cooperation.
Ti said MCA does not want what he called “apartheid-like” politics in the country, where cooperation with certain religions or races is seen as taboo or forbidden.
“All political parties should be accorded their rightful dignity and respect. In the spirit of our country’s founders, we must attempt to build inter-racial and inter-religious understanding, cooperation and tolerance.
“MCA will continue to uphold this spirit of our nation’s founding fathers, provided that the constitution and its spirit are not trampled on.
“We have always upheld the principle that the Federal Constitution must be upheld in its spirit and content.”
Ti said MCA maintained that the way forward is through cooperation, tolerance, mutual respect and understanding.
“We are not going to follow DAP’s declaration of war against the political cooperation between Umno and PAS or call the act as Talibanese,” he added.
He said DAP was focused on attacking MCA because it is their main political rival for garnering Chinese votes.
He also claimed that the Chinese have realised that DAP does not “walk their talk” and that the party is underperforming.
“In time, reality will strike,” he said. “The truth will prevail and we hope to get better support from the Chinese community so that we can continue to do the checks and balances on extremism in an amicable and acceptable manner.”
He said there are common issues and platforms that political parties should work on, especially so in Malaysia when political parties are identified by race or religion.
He said DAP has attempted to project a multiracial facade but it is, in reality, a Chinese party with a multiracial facade. It depends on support from the Chinese.
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He pointed out that in the past, DAP had cooperated with PAS to achieve its own political ambitions.