KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 – MCA today separately slammed both Umno and Pas over the two parties’ chauvinistic stand on different issues.
The Barisan Nasional’s (BN) main Chinese component party criticised the Kedah Pas government’s 50 per cent Bumiputra housing quota and also took to task Umno vice president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam’s statement that Umno must control the federal government.
“Ali must bear in mind that Umno is not the sole party in the Barisan Nasional coalition government. All other BN component parties also contributed to BN’s success in forming the federal government after each of the 12 general elections. It is irresponsible and myopic of Ali to deny the efforts of all other BN component parties in successively forming the Cabinet since 1957,” MCA’s information and communication chief Lee Wei Kiat said today.
The Malacca Chief Minister had been reported as saying on Nov 16 that “Umno must take control of the government to ensure Umno policies, especially the NEP, are being implemented effectively at all levels across the nation”.
“It was the vitriol and behaviour of superiority of one race above others that was one of the reasons that caused consternation among the multiracial Malaysian general public resulting with the backlash of votes against BN during the March 8 polls,” Lee stated in a media statement.
Lee also voiced his disappointment that, with an eye on the coming Umno party polls in March 2009, a few politicians have resorted to political posturing and said that they “should refrain from spewing partisan statements with racial connotations that polarises society to score political mileage.”
In another statement, MCA also said that the Kedah state government’s housing quota would displace non-Bumiputras.
Lee said the policy, effective since September 1, had received flak from various quarters but “the Kedah state government has obviously ignored the pleas from the industry players and politicians alike who voiced out their concerns over the matter.”
“The housing developers in the state will incur heavy losses if the Kedah state government continues with the new ruling,” stressed Lee.
“Problems arise as developers are disallowed to sell off unsold Bumiputra units even after six months. This policy has created an artificial demand for accommodation by non-Bumiputra housebuyers who are burdened with paying unrealistic inflated prices for their houses.
“At a time when the world is entering a global recession with job cuts, such a move by Pas only adds to the financial burden of Malaysians by creating unnecessary worries, reducing job creation prospects and causing loss of incomes.”
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
Goodluck to MCA reforming under OTK, based on his statements since his party election victory, fat hopes of that happening, he let his victory get to his head and is now living in a fishbowl, so soon after victory as well... sigh...