Press statement by Teresa Kok, DAP National Organising Secretary and Member of Parliament for Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur on 11 November 2011.
MCA insults the intelligence of Malaysians living overseas by calling them “out of touch”
Malaysian Chinese Association’s (MCA) statement that Malaysians abroad shouldn’t be given the right to vote because they are “out of touch” and absorb “biased”, “doubtful” and “wrong” information is both hypocritical and insulting to the intelligence of Malaysians abroad and everywhere.
At this morning’s public hearing of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform held at the Parlimen Negara, MCA Central Committee Member Ei Kim Hock who spoke on behalf of MCA said,
“Voters residing overseas should not be allowed to vote. We view this seriously as those who reside abroad are out of touch and do not truly understand the situation in Malaysia…. We are doubtful over the kind of information they receive.”
It is MCA who is out of touch with reality for failing to recognise the globalised world we live in where technological advancements allow a free flow of information, quickly and at a low cost. This free flow of information, from a diverse range of news providers, is in fact empowering for citizens.
Thus, it is insulting of MCA to suggest that Malaysians abroad lack the intelligence or media literacy to assess for themselves the veracity of news and information more freely available abroad, when compared with Malaysia’s own oppressive media environment which MCA sanctions.
Moreover, Malaysians abroad still have family and friends in Malaysia with whom they are in contact with and receive news from the ground. It is likely that Malaysians abroad who bother to vote are well informed and still care about Malaysia. Some of them even make the effort to drive for hours to the nearest Malaysian consulate to cast their vote.
The irony is that MCA has been setting up MCA Clubs in the United Kingdom and various other countries to drum up political support abroad. When MCA leaders travel, they have been taking the time to meet with and brief the Malaysians living there on the political situation in Malaysia.
Therefore, MCA should not stand in the way of Malaysians abroad who want to vote in our elections. It is disappointing that MCA is so intimidated by the overseas vote that it chooses to deny Malaysians their constitutional right to vote while insulting their intelligence and upholding an oppressive media environment.
Teresa Kok
Dear MCA, you see there is something called the internet where we dont need to read up news from papers to know whats going on. BTW, can you pls dont tell us what we can or cannot do becoz we are not your small kids.There is no need to over angkat kaki your big boss amno all the time.
Therefore, the oversea M’sian consulate only serving certain members of M’sian, other M’sians are “out of touch”.
Should there be a way to help these “out of touch” M’sians to cast vote ? Something needs to work out, not only NATO (no action talk only).
MP Teresa,
You are totally pointing out what the overseas Malaysians feel right now. With the internet right now, I believe there’s no barrier for people around the world to know things happened in every corner of the world. And I have a few friends that prefer to stay overseas as they understand the politic and leadership in Malaysia too well. They do hope for some changes.
Thanks for speaking up for them.
I have repeated umpteen times that MCA/GERAKAN/PPP/MIC are all irrelevant to their respective communities since 0308. Yet they are still adamant to the core behaving like “dead chicken furiously kicking the rice bowl cover”. This MCA p___star including all ex MCA leaders knew that the millions of chinese who have migrated or went to work overseas are the results of their own doings. Of course, they will never ever admit that. No bloody way man. But rakyat can assure that they will never ever vote for MCA in any elections not to mention the coming GE13. These so called chinese community leaders also knew damn well they will get kick in the butt.
They only want people who read STAR to vote in elections.