The Seputeh MP says MCA’s failure to openly rebuke Umno for cooperating with PAS risks making the party unable to regain support from the Chinese and other Malaysians.
PETALING JAYA: DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok has accused MCA of failing to openly criticise Umno over its wrongdoings, even on important issues related to the violation of the Federal Constitution.
The Seputeh MP claimed that the party had shown “cowardice” by not daring to take Umno to task over its apparent support for PAS’ bid to introduce hudud (Islamic criminal punishment) in the country.
She said MCA president Liow Tiong Lai, who had criticised DAP for aligning itself with PAS before they parted ways in 2015, should find out for himself what the people wanted.
“If MCA wants to regain confidence and support of the Chinese community and the people as a whole, it has to first do some soul-searching and examine its performance in the past years and now,” she said in a statement today.
She said MCA had not openly rebuked the apparent collaboration between Umno and PAS, when PAS president and Marang MP Abdul Hadi Awang had in April this year tabled a bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355), to intensify shariah punishments, in the Dewan Rakyat.
“How does Liow expect MCA to get the support of the Chinese community and the people as a whole when he and his colleagues dare not speak out and defend the Federal Constitution and the rights of the non-Muslims?” she said.
Liow was reported as telling the Malaysia Chinese Youth Summit 2017 on Oct 20 that if MCA had received the backing of the Chinese community, they would be able to stop attempts to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state.
He had also reportedly said that Umno and PAS were “flirting” with each other and this was the result of the Chinese community’s decision to support DAP in the last general election.
He said the Chinese community should back MCA in the coming elections in order to stop ethnic and religious politicking.
Kok said MCA should stop blaming DAP “for its own failure”.
“When DAP was with PAS in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, Liow said DAP wanted to support PAS to establish an Islamic state in Malaysia.
“When PAS severed ties with the DAP and presented the motion on Act355 in Parliament with the support of UMNO, Liow blamed the DAP for strengthening PAS till PAS presented such motion in Parliament,” she said.
Liow however never blamed Umno for disregarding the Federal Constitution and the feelings of its Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition partners which do not support the motion, she added.