Several months ago, when MCA launched its Lifelong Learning Campaign, it was criticised for evading politics, for such campaigns are regarded to be more appropriate for NGOs rather than a political party.

Though proudly claiming that the party is representing the Chinese community, MCA is in fact incapable of solving the problems faced by the community whether in the process of formulating Barisan Nasional's policies, or in the stages of its implementation, monitoring, or correcting deviations without the blessings of Umno.

According to the logic of racial politics, MCA is held responsible as it claims, for defending the interests of the Chinese community and to resolve all problems faced by them. Such as Umno and MIC are held responsible for defending the interests of the Malays and Indians and to resolve all problems faced by the respective communities.

The protests against the appeal of MCA to build more SJKC (Chinese schools) with the allocation of the 9th Malaysia Plan was orchestrated by a Malay daily and echoed by Umno leaders. It starkly exposed that MCA and other BN component parties hardly carry any weight as to bring any dispute or contradiction with Umno to be settled through the vehicle of BN, especially when Umno leaders are indulging in promoting their images as heroes of the Malays and Muslims to gain cheap political support or divert internal crisis.

As admitted by our Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and this should not be disputed any more, that both our Federal Constitution and Education Act have guaranteed that non-Malays are allowed to be educated in their mother-tongues. The statutory guarantees are consistent with the fundamental human rights and the importance of mother-tongue education in the formation of the characteristics of any race.