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The KT by-election: Learning from March 8 |
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Written by Ong Tee Keat
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Thursday, 25 December 2008 |
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The days of talking down to the people, especially the voters are over. Malaysians have become more matured and educated and more well-travelled these days. We can no longer warn the people that they will lose out if they do not vote the Barisan Nasional in the Kuala Terengganu by-election.
To them, that is arrogance that will simply put people off. With such attitude, it is not the people, but the Party which will lose out. They seek a new stronger voice, a voice that can represent them. If they don't find this in the Party, they will go elsewhere. That is a lesson we should learn from the March 8 general election. If we don't learn from history, we are condemned to repeat our past follies.
At this juncture, in the face of challenging times, not only should we hear the people, but we must also appreciate the importance of the change they seek. We cannot pretend to be all-knowing and always correct. In other words, we must feel the people's pulse. We must accept the need to change proactively and indeed we are changing. But we cannot change alone as we need them to give us the strength to change.
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The above comment from the MCA President is true and should be the main focus of all MCA members to emulate if they ever want to regain the confidence of the Chinese. Having said that, walking the talk is another thing as I have noticed many politicians have been rather quick and generous in stating "sugar coated" statements, particularly when it is near to election. As for this case, the Kuala Terengganu is an acidic test to UMNO and MCA, after they have lost in Permatang Pauh. If memory serves me correctly, KT by-election is the second election after 308. While UMNO and MCA may have listful of reasons to state as to why the lost in Permatang Pauh, losing KT will be a very strong slap on BN's face while is a ringing endorsement of the rakyat to Pakatan Rakyat. MCA leaders had been talking about change and reinventing themselves so often now but the fact remains i.e they are under the thumb of UMNO and MCA leaders are subservient to UMNO. It is sad to note this fact but a fact is a fact and MCA leaders should learn to grow out of this.
The above comment by MCA President is all but playing up an old broken record. Statement is just the same as stated by many past leaders of MCA. The only difference is that it was stated or spoken by a different President.