Full text of Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's speech at the MCA 58th annual general assembly on Sunday.
1. A big welcome to all leaders of Barisan Nasional component parties, and my sincere thanks to the honorable Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for being with us today to officiate the AGM.
2. This is probably the last AGM before the next general election which can be called anytime from now.
3. The election date is on everyone's mind. We should all be prepared for the general election.
4. Sir, we are glad to report that after fresh party polls last year, the MCA has emerged as a more united and stable party.
5. However factions remain at some divisional levels. My fellow comrades, we have to put our differences aside and confront our enemies as One Team.
6. We should all be big-hearted and compassionate. The best gift to your enemy is forgiveness, and to your opponent, tolerance. If we practise these values, the MCA will be stronger with each passing day.
7. If we cannot get support from within our own ranks, we cannot expect to get support from outside the party. We have to discard factional politics and move ahead.
8. Our political opponents are not our own comrades but Pakatan Rakyat. We must stay focused on our objectives.
9. Sir, as we enter the final phase, we should not send the wrong signals suggesting that we take different stands.
10. We must speak with one voice. Let us not forget the proud history of our founding fathers' struggles and sacrifices that have brought this nation this far.
11. BN has laid the foundation where the country's major races has created a powerful consensus for peace, prosperity and stability.
THE NEW DEAL
12. Sir, you have undertaken the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme to ensure that we become a high-income nation by 2020.
13. I applaud you for the changes you announced in conjunction with Malaysia Day to do away with the ISA and Emergency Laws and to liberalise the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
14. You have done what the public wants but what previous Prime Ministers were not willing to do. You have shown courage and leadership.
15. It takes political will and MCA supports you 100 per cent on this. Laws, policies, ideologies and beliefs that have outlived their relevance in today's political landscape must be changed.
16. If we do not do away with them or adapt them to the times, they will act as stumbling blocks that will impede the progress of the country and its people.
17. Mr Prime Minister, I urge you to take one giant step forward and offer all Malaysians a New Deal for the future - A New Deal that epitomises the very core expectations and aspirations of the people at large.
18. Policies formulated immediately after 1969 must change with the times. That is because the world has changed. Back then, China was still a closed economy, a closed country in fact.
19. The world has changed. Malaysia cannot sit still when every country around us is moving ahead with more progressive policies that do away with ideological dogmatism.
20. Sir, the new leadership of the MCA wants the NEW DEAL to also embrace a government that is constructive and which can unite all races. We must always pursue the middle path, reaching out to a younger generation who may feel alienated.
21. We want a nation that is fair, democratic, transparent and inclusive of all Malaysians. We want a middle Malaysia, where the voices of the rakyat are heard.
22. We are for a caring Government that takes care of everyone's needs and expectations, from education and employment to security and law & order, as well as the impact of inflation.
23. Mr Prime Minister, 54 years ago the then leaders of our major parties, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun Sambanthan of MIC, sat down to work out a new agreement that promised a place for people of all ethnic groups in an independent Malaya.
24. Six years later, Malaya was expanded to become Malaysia. That was the New Deal of that time. Today, Malaysians want a new New Deal. Malaysia needs a New Deal for the future.
25. A New Deal that gives every Malaysian, their children and grandchildren confidence and hope that their future is in Malaysia. Today may not be the time for us to go into specifics of what the new deal should be, but let us agree to sit down and work out this new deal.
26. But at the outset, let me say this new deal does not have to be seen as an attempt to completely rewrite the so-called Merdeka social contract.
27. I know there will be groups who will attack me for even suggesting it. But let us be bold and brave enough to rework it to make it more suitable for the times and to meet the aspirations of all Malaysians.
28. The aspirations of the younger generation may not be the same as ours. As the government and leaders of the country, we must tailor our policies and programmes to the young.
29.They must have faith that their aspirations can be met, and that we will facilitate those aspirations and not be a hindrance to them. Let us not allow the baggage of the past to be a millstone around the necks of our children and grandchildren.
30. For what does a country have except for the energy, intellect, confidence and skills of our future generations. That is why I say we must offer them a New Deal for the future.
31. And we, the current leadership of BN must do it. As a founding member of the Alliance that got us Merdeka, the MCA will support you and work with you on a New Deal for all.
32. Let us rise to the occasion, let us rise above narrow self-interests. The time to act is NOW.
DEMOCRACY UNDER THE NEW DEAL
33. The MCA believes that there should be more channels for peaceful dissent.
34. The government should listen more to concerned Malaysians who are now more vocal, active and politically conscious than before.
35. As leaders, we must always be ready to listen. Politicians should never pretend to know everything.
36. The MCA proposes that designated places and designated routes be allowed for protest. Applications for police permits must be transparent.
37. The police should be deployed only for controlling traffic. The organisers should ensure that the demonstration is peaceful with no threat to human life and property.
38. Political transformation should go beyond the politics of cohesion, the politics of threat and the politics of race. We should rise above all these and take political recourse in a different dimension. We should take politics away from the heat of race and religion.
THE NEW DEAL FOR THE MEDIA
39. Sir, you have liberalised media controls by not requiring newspaper companies to renew their permit annually.
40. The MCA feels the press should have the liberty to exercise self-control. Already there are laws such as the Sedition Act and Official Secrets Act to check on any deviation or wrong committed by the media outlets.
41. Ultimately we should work towards abolishing the Printing Presses and Publications Act, and set a time frame for that. The government has to be bold and confident to take such steps.
42. There is now no level playing field between traditional and new (online) media. The print media is subjected to various laws, but new media seems to have a free hand. There should be no such discrimination.
ECONOMY
43. The MCA is optimistic that the ETP under your leadership will propel our country to become a high income nation by 2020.
44. The award of projects should not be based on a "know-who" basis.
45. There should be no more cronyism or nepotism. It breeds corruption and promotes unfair business practices.
46. The rakyat want a more just society and a fairer business environment that emphasises meritocracy, inclusiveness and transparency.
47. Doing business should also be simpler, minus all the red tape.
48. The government should also continue with initiatives to liberalise more economic sectors. This is to enhance competitiveness and promote productivity, spurring us to be more innovative.
49. We support the government's policy of open tender and reducing red tape to create a competitive and business-friendly environment.
50. Sir, under your leadership, Malaysia has become more competitive in moving from the 26th position to the 21st spot in a recent survey.
51. The MCA subscribes to affirmative action based on needs and merits, and expects the Government to continue to transform the nation to achieve a high-income status.
52. If any particular group is poor, it must continue to receive help.
53. This is to make sure that all Malaysians benefit, as the government is committed to ensuring that all Malaysians do well.
54. BN should take the lead in pursuing a Middle Malaysia and give the rakyat a bigger voice.
55. This must bring hope and inspiration to the people. It must offer pragmatic and achievable policies, not mere slogans, like Pakatan Rakat.
56. Barisan must not be distracted by the divisive and populist policies adopted by Pakatan such as dishing out RM100 for the elderly, which may seem useful but more needs to be done.
57. The government's duty is to reassure all Malaysians that they have a rightful place in the country. All Malaysians will benefit as the country develops to become a high-income nation by the year 2020. The expanding economic cake should be shared fairly and equitably by all Malaysians.
58. Bumiputras should not be jealous of the success of non-bumis, and non-bumis should also not be jealous of the progress of bumiputras. We are 1Malaysia.
59. If we want to attract Foreign Direct Investment and stay competitive, the real competitors are not fellow Malaysians but the outside world.
60. We need to see the emergence of successful Malaysians. We need to see that all Malaysians do well.
61. Of course Pakatan, being the divisive factor of the nation, will spin the idea that they can take care of the needs of all Malaysians. They always talk but don't walk the talk, being consistently inconsistent.
62. Populist policies merely generate a "feel good" factor but don't really address people's needs. Populist policies alone don't guarantee high income or better living standards
63. The NEW DEAL - the Government transformation programme, the economic transformation programme, and the political transformation programme - under your leadership, is the real change that the rakyat expect.
64. Pakatan Rakyat has not undertaken any transformation other than spinning half-truths, distorting facts and packaging themselves to look good.
65. We must convince the rakyat that we are nation-builders, and Pakatan Rakyat is just hungry for power.
MINIMUM WAGE POLICY
66. The MCA hails the setting up of the National Wage Consultative Council to address the concerns of the workforce. It is an initiative of a caring government to raise the living standards of the people.
67. To facilitate its work, the Council should have representation from the private sector, trade unions and professional bodies.
68. It is wrong to say that a minimum wage policy will render our country less competitive. Instead, it would help Malaysia produce a better quality workforce with improved skills and knowledge.
69. We should become less dependent on foreign labour.
70. A minimum wage policy can be productivity-driven. That would make our workforce more marketable than that of neighbouring countries.
COST OF LIVING
71. With rising food and commodity prices, all Malaysians are confronted by the rising cost of living.
72. Although the government heavily subsidises health care, education, housing and fuel, the rakyat seldom realise it.
73. The middle and lower income groups now find it difficult to make ends meet.
74. The government should further mitigate the hardships of the people through special one-off monetary relief like cash handouts to the poor, senior citizens, pensioners including assistance for school books, uniforms and transportation for school-going children.
75. The government should also consider some form of monthly allowance for the poor. This would greatly help them overcome hardships in their household expenses.
ENGAGING THE PEOPLE
76. Sir, the government of the day is expected to engage fully with the rakyat.
77. The various ministries must therefore be made to engage with the rakyat online.
78. We know that you adopt a more personal touch by using Twitter, Facebook and your blog to engage with the people.
79. Sadly, it has been perceived that one or two BN leaders are aloof, arrogant and abusive.
80. Some are also known to be loose cannons. They get into the headlines for the wrong reasons.
81. For the sake of stability in BN, the MCA has not responded in a way it perhaps should. The attitude of this small group of BN leaders has not gone down well with the rakyat.
82. They project themselves as a "big brother" or rather bullies.
83. Sir, they seem to have been afflicted with the "four diseases" you have diagnosed - delusion, amnesia, inertia and arrogance.
84. If allowed to fester, it will heighten the people's anger and negative perceptions of the BN and the government.
EDUCATION
85. Sir, we are heartened that the police have been encouraged to learn at least two additional languages besides Bahasa Malaysia.
86. It is good to foster greater interaction, unity and progress through social diversity.
87. However this should not apply to the police alone. Under the NEW DEAL, all front-liners in the civil service should be multi-lingual.
88. Language is an important communication tool. The MCA would like to express its support for the usage of mother tongue languages in the teaching of Maths and Science in all primary schools.
89. Likewise the MCA supports the teaching of Maths and Science in English or Bahasa Malaysia in secondary schools. Parents should have the right to decide on the language used for their children's education.
90. A timetable should also be set for the authorities to make English a compulsory pass subject in the SPM examination.
91. Mother tongue languages should also be encouraged and eventually made compulsory in all national schools (Sekolah Kebangsaan).
92. If such initiatives are planned properly with a staggered timeline, they are achievable.
93. Remove classes should be maintained and there should not be any arbitrary decision taken by headmasters to exempt certain students.
94. I would also like to record my sincere thanks to the Prime Minister on his decision to offer scholarships to all students with 8A+ in their SPM examination, regardless of their ethnicity.
95. Of the 4,000 recipients who received JPA scholarships this year to study abroad and locally, 1,660 students are Chinese.
96. Also, 88.6 per cent of Chinese students had successfully enrolled in local public universities.
97. Mr Prime Minister, if the award of scholarships in public universities and entry into IPTA were based on merit, we are confident that the brain drain will be greatly reduced.
98. The MCA hopes that such a move will be made to curtail the outflow of talented people to other countries.
99. I would also like to record our appreciation to 1Malaysia Development Bhd for awarding scholarships to the top 50 Unified Examination Certificate holders pursuing higher education.
100. The recipients were awarded scholarships valued at RM45,000 each, without any bond attached.
101. Our party firmly believes that the socially and economically disadvantaged groups should be given help irrespective of race or creed.
102. Ladies and gentlemen, this year also marks the first year when UEC students have been admitted to teacher-training colleges.
103. My fellow comrades, it's time for the government to admit UEC graduates into public universities. The government should seriously give due consideration to this matter.
104. Because of the importance of mother-tongue education, some quarters would judge the government on how it manages the role of the Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan.
105. Sir, under the new deal, the community expects more Chinese schools to be built and more allocations from the government, but not on a piecemeal or ad hoc basis.
106. The community views the performance of the government based on how it treats Chinese primary and independent schools.
107. A little more generosity would dispel any notion that the government has neglected mother-tongue education.
108. More allocation and new Chinese schools will deny the Opposition the opportunity to exploit the situation by claiming that Chinese schools have been marginalised.
109. The MCA will continue to work to provide affordable and quality education through KTAR and UTAR for all Malaysians. Together they have produced 185,000 graduates, and today both have a student population of 42,000 students.
110. The annual intake of UTAR and KTAR is about 20,000 students, and this constitutes about 20% of the 100,000 Malaysian Chinese students entering into tertiary institutes yearly. These two institutes have and will continue to assist significantly in the training of professionals and skilled manpower for the nation.
111. To further upgrade KTAR, we have engaged the MOHE to elevate KTAR to University College status.
112. To further liberalize the learning environment of our universities, MCA believes that Sections 15 and 6 of the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) should be amended to allow students and lecturers to be engaged in political activities. This is to respect their rights as voters.
113. The MCA will play a bigger role in training skilled workers as part of our effort to support the ETP. The MCA has signed an MOU with 6 Taiwan Universities, and we are glad the MOE Taiwan will sponsor 300 Malaysian students every year.
114. The first batch of 160 students left for Taiwan in September.
115. Sir, the MCA has just launched a RM30 million 1MCA education loan scheme for poor students, irrespective of race. The first 5 years of the loan is interest-free. This loan fund will benefit at least 250 students annually.
116. As a political party, we have invested a lot of resources in education. We have definitely done more than the DAP, which continues to pay lip service to people's needs.
CANDIDACY
117. We support the Prime Minister's view that only winnable candidates should be selected to contest in the coming general election.
118. This is to ensure that aspiring leaders come only from those who are committed, hard-working and have a good track record.
119. The winnable candidates should not be the president's candidates or the division chairman's candidates, but ideally the rakyat's candidates.
120. The MCA will have a line-up comprising young, middle-aged and mature candidates, with priority given to the younger generation.
121. We are open to any new arrangement of seat allocation within BN. The MCA's principle is that as long as the component party can win, we will support it.
122. We trust your leadership and the political wisdom of component party leaders to ensure a win-win situation for BN.
PARTY MATTERS
123. In this AGM, delegates will also pass a resolution that the party will not take up any appointed government posts if the MCA does not fare better than in the 2008 general election.
124. Such a move is to respect the wishes of the voters that we cannot continue to be the voice of the government if we do not get the support of the people.
125. This decision should not be construed as a threat, but rather as respecting the wishes of voters.
126. If there is a threat at all, it is to the party and its members and definitely not the voters.
127. Hopefully this decision will create greater awareness of the need for unity among MCA members, that the survival and destiny of the party are in their hands.
128.However, BN should be forewarned that if the coalition government does not perform to the expectations of the Chinese, the community will not support the MCA, hence denying Chinese representation in the government.
129. The Federal government cannot be legitimate unless there is multiracial representation. The government should have the support of all Malaysians, not just the support of one or two communities.
130. The Alliance was formed on the principle of power-sharing which has continued today through BN. Power-sharing means respecting the voices of each other.
131. No community should be perceived to be superior to another. If that happens, something is not right with the principle of power-sharing that our forefathers had fought so hard to build.
132. Malaysia is blessed with a multiracial society. And in a diverse nation, no race will get all that it wants and no race will be denied everything it asks for. All we seek is shared success.
133. If the DAP's victory can ensure that the problems confronting the Chinese can be resolved, the MCA will not be jealous of the DAP's success.
134. Due to their non-stop attacks to discredit the MCA, the DAP has projected itself as a political superman that can solve all problems confronting the Chinese Community.
135. However its performance in PR states proves that it is No Superman.
136. We have our past baggage, but the present generation of MCA leaders should be given a chance to prove that they are worthy of support.
POLITICAL REALITY
137. After the March 2008 election, the people were very optimistic that there would finally be a two-party system. Unfortunately it only gave rise to intense politicking, which has been divisive.
138. Pakatan Rakyat has never stopped exploiting issues to gain political mileage, from the death of Teoh Beng Hock to Bersih, and even the proposed parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms.
139. All they want is to create the idea that Barisan Nasional cannot do anything right.
140. The rakyat will not be hoodwinked by Pakatan because of BN's track record of nation-building.
141. The Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme under your leadership has given rise to hope that we will become a high-income nation by 2020.
142. Pakatan states have not initiated any change, let alone a transformation. They are good at publicising and branding themselves, and claiming credit for the little that has been done.
143. If they have done well in attracting Foreign Direct Investment, it is because of the federal government that has provided the economic stability, incentives and infrastructure to enable investors to make a decision.
144. It is not the sole effort of any particular state.
145. The DAP will continue to package itself as a multiracial party, hiding its true colours as a mono-ethnic party. They will place some token Malay candidates in Perak and Selangor with the hope that if they form the government, then the Malay candidates can be the Mentri Besar.
146. The DAP in its campaign says it must punish the BN led by Umno. To do that, it is pitting Chinese against Chinese, putting up candidates to contest against Gerakan and MCA candidates.
147. This clearly runs contrary to its claim of being a multiracial party.
148. To test its claim of multiracialism, it should contest in Malay areas and prove its worth and acceptance by all communities.
149. By pitting Chinese against Chinese, the DAP has merely created a political system where non-Chinese form the government and Chinese end up as the opposition.
150. This will ultimately lead to a two-race system, not a two-party system.
151. In Sarawak, they have succeeded in reducing the Chinese representation during the state elections. But they did not succeed in removing the Chief Minister there.
152. The reality is that out of 222 parliamentary seats, only about 46 are Chinese-majority. If the Chinese wish to vent their anger against the government by voting against BN, the most they can secure is 46 seats.
153. Any Chinese-based party needs to work with a Malay-based party to form the government. This brings us to a pertinent question: who is Pakatan Rakyat's Prime Minister-in-waiting?
154. Until today, I have been asking that question but no answers have been forthcoming.
155. Who is Pakatan's Prime Minister-to-be? The rakyat have a right to know: is he Anwar Ibrahim, Hadi Awang, Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang or Lim Guan Eng?
156. For all our imperfections, people know who our Prime Minister is: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
157. Where are the accountability and transparency, and where is the freedom of information that Pakatan has been shouting about?
DESTINY OF PARTY/BN
158. The political situation today has become more challenging. There is only one option, and that is to work hard.
159. It is the duty of every party member to ensure that every MCA and BN candidate wins in the coming general election.
160. We have to stay united, be focused, work hard, be people-friendly and strengthen the party machinery so that Pakatan's march to Putrajaya will remain only a dream.
161. The MCA also reaffirms its commitment to the Chinese community that the new MCA leadership is sensitive and responsive to its needs.
162. We will continue to have a role to play within the government and be its voice in government.
163. Sir, we are with you all the way in facing the coming general election.
164. We trust in your political wisdom and leadership to lift Malaysia to the next level of progress with renewed vigour.
165. Mr Prime Minister, we will make sure that together we will defend Putrajaya with resounding success.
166. We in the MCA are committed to this task more than ever.
Thank you.
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