Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this
mk-logo
From Our Readers

As I watched the spat between Minister Nazri Aziz and some MCA leaders, I feel that it was really much ado about nothing.

As a BN minister, I think Nazri should represent all BN parties unless the government he serves is no longer a BN government. He must recognise and work with MCA, regardless of his personal feeling. Otherwise the BN government is just in name only, nothing in substance.

On his duties and responsibility as a cabinet minister, I do agree with Nazri that he should try to serve all Malaysians regardless of political affiliation once the election is over. This has always been the foundation of our system of government from the beginning - the government must serve all citizens. Over time, I think the government, due to the incumbents staying in power for far too long, has forgotten this fundamental principle.

Minister Nazri could claim that he has won five elections without much help from MCA. This could be true due to the composition and nature of his constituency - a smallish rural constituency consisting mainly Malays. But the BN government that he serves is not as fortunate as Padang Rengas.

Although I can’t foresee the future, at least the present BN government is still dependent on various groups and communities in the country. Without BN, Nazri can’t be the minister even if he has won Padang Rengas a hundred times. Perhaps it is in that context that MCA is reminding Minister Nazri.

Like what minister Nazri did, it is easy to criticise MCA today. It is true that more capable and dynamic Chinese have gravitated toward the opposition parties. MCA is seen as a hapless party unable to strike an equitable deal for the community it represents.

But the predicaments of MCA are not just due to its own ineptness. The party is disadvantaged and circumscribed by its position in BN. It must compromise, given the multifaceted demands of other component parties. It must give in, given the dominant position of Umno. It cannot criticise the government in the manner the opposition did.

When BN becomes too ‘Umno’, of course it is a party like MCA that would suffer. In fact, a truly enlightened Umno leader would have understood the position of MCA rather than blaming the party for not being able to solicit the support of the Chinese.

Sometimes we must be grateful of what we have; we drink water, we must know the source. Umno is strong today because it has the power and largesse to dish out. Frankly, I do not know for how long this will last if fundamental leadership and performance are not beefed-up quickly.

ADS