The decision of the four Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states to use different Merdeka Day themes is an attempt to ridicule the contribution of the Alliance in winning Independence for the nation, said MCA.

NONE Youth chief Wee Ka Siong (left) said the Alliance - consisting of Umno, MCA and MIC - had set aside ethnic difference for the common goal of securing Independence without bloodshed.

He said the Alliance had managed to peacefully negotiate with the British, and to prove that the different races could unite and govern Malaya.

“(The four themes) ridicule the sanctity of this historical and significant celebration of our sovereignty, as well as the contributions of our founding fathers,” said Wee in a press release today.

Penang, Kedah and Kelantan will use different themes , instead of adopting the Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa theme agreed by Pakatan’s national leadership.

This evening, Selangor has officially announced that it will adopt Pakatan's theme.

Pakatan proposed the alternative theme to Putrajaya’s Janji Ditepati theme because this is also being used by BN as its campaign theme ahead of the general election.

NONE Critics have also claimed that Janji Ditepati does not reflect nationhood and that Putrajaya has been unable to distinguish Independence from partisan politics.

Wee further accused Pakatan of having made a mockery of its supporters and the public by announcing a competition for an alternative theme, only for the three states to select their own.

He said this reflects Pakatan’s disunity, self-centredness and lack of cooperation.

“What sort of unity are they showing to the public? Do they even know the meaning of the word?” he asked.

He said it is ironical that Pakatan parties could announce the alternative theme jointly at a press conference and behave as though they had a common agenda, even when three state governments could not agree to using the common theme.

‘What changes in Kelantan?’

In a separate development, MCA Youth education bureau chairperson Chong Sin Woon criticised Kelantan’s theme - Menerajui Perubahan - because the state has little to show by way of changes after 22 years under PAS.

“The only things they have to show are the inability to provide clean water to its people, continued high unemployment rates and low FDIs, as well as forcing their religious beliefs on the non-Muslim community through local council regulations,” he claimed.

Chong said it would be better for Pakatan parties to admit that they cannot cooperate with each other, and that the only glue holding them together is their ambition to take over Putrajaya.

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