“分析大选，探讨未来”论坛 "Analysing the general election, discussing the future - Part 1

上周六，也就是4月11日，我出席由槟城韩江同学会主办的“分析大选，探讨未来”政治论坛。我在会上强调，身为国阵成员党的马华必须先改变自己，才能纠正国阵。我认为，我们可以批评巫统，但不要推卸责任，输了民心，马华也有责任。在会上，我强调:

• 国阵经历了前所未有的惨败，现在是时候进行自我检讨，坦诚面对问题、剖析为何选民几乎一面倒拒绝国阵
  
• 领袖要拿出诚意，承认错误和弱点，领导层应对这次的败绩向党员道谦
• 国阵惨败，反对党阵线夺下多州政府政权，民主两线制刚形成。国阵要协助、配合人民进行监督
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  这次大选，面对大课题如贪污、滥权、通膨、宗教等累积的民怨，促使选民跨种族决定手中的一票。马华和国阵要反省对有关课题的处理手法
  
• 族群为基的政党最终会否完全消失，目前定论还言之过早。只要宪法规定的马来特权还存在，包括语言、国家宗教、州务大臣必须由马来人或回教徒出任等，巫基政党如巫统还是有它的角色
  
• 同样的，只要华裔族群继续强调母语教育、宗教、神庙，华基政党的角色还不能被否决。只是，国阵成员党间的合作必须改变，不能再延续过去的模式。马华斗争的大原则，必须以全民利益为出发点
  
• 民联政府实行的政权分享让全国人民大开眼界。例如在霹雳，虽然马来领袖出州务大臣，但华裔代表却主导州行政议会
  
• 马华必须重新检讨和巫统的关系，重新建立平等的合作关系。巫统必须剔除老大的思维，要谦虚、不自满
  
• 我们要紧记，今天人民有其他选择，巫统若要继续寻求全民的支持，就不能只谈马来人议程，相反的要一视同仁对待全民发展
  
• 靠拢和个人关系为基础的合作已不能被接受，人民要公平、民主、透明、不种族化及贯彻真正争取分享的国阵，而不是主仆关系和乞舍文化
  
• 人民投选了改革，所以马华要革新。这是不可否认的事实。调整斗争的方向和执行方式，要体现更果敢的处事态度，要敢怒敢言，敢做敢当

地方议会选举

关于地方议会选举，这是反对党争取选民支持的其中一项议程。

知易行难，基于一些因素，马华过去一直无法促成这项改革。今天，人民民主意识已抬头，他们要充分和有效发挥手中一票，包括要通过公投决定地方议会的代表。这是人民要求的改变，马华要了解。地方议会是最接近人民、和人民日常生活息息相关，实行地方议会选举、让地方居民决定他们的代表为社群服务，对国家发展进程和人民需求而言是非常合理的。

此外，许多马华地方领袖过去在民生服务方面经验丰富，表现不俗，同时奠下了广扩的联络网，这些都是马华地方领袖的优势。要实行这项改革确实阻力重重，不过，我觉得马华应该积极争取会恢复有关选举。

为了民主进程，为了更透明和有效的政府行政机制，我希望马华可以担当这个角色。

给党员

在槟城、霹雳、吉打、雪兰莪、吉兰丹几个州属，马华已不再是执政政府，我知道当地的党员和基层领袖还不能适应角色替换，不过我们必须从现在开始，学习如何扮演监督民盟州政府的工作：

• 马华失去了在州政府的行政权，但不代表我们就此消失。我们要接受选民的决定。我们要做的，是学习和扮演监督和制衡州政府的角色，确保他们履行职务，达到选民的期望
  
• 当然，最重要的是，在这艰难时刻，我希望党员能团结一致，携手重建马华，如果对任何一位领袖不满，应等到党选时进行了结。目前，我们应该继续大选前未完成的工作，以实际行动挽民心，以在下届大选重新寻求人民的委托
  
• 人民是以绩效评估政府和代表的表现，今天人民拒绝了国阵，若民盟政府表现不理想，相信人民也会公平判断
  
• 要重建党，首先要改变做起，我们要坦诚检讨和纠正党内的弱点，不能因为个人因素而牺牲大局的将来
  
• 重振党不能只靠几个人的力量，马华需要每一位党员的力量和自发性的合作，来促成整个党的改革。跳槽并不能解决事情

很多人认为马华和已经被选民尤其是华社唾弃。如果民主两线制是选民所要的，国阵就必须继续存在，而且要壮大，才能起制衡的效用，避免人民联盟一党坐大。

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A big thank you to Han Jiang Student Association for inviting me to be the panel speaker in the forum titled "Analysing General Election, Discussing the future". There were about 1000 turnouts in the forum and I now share with you some of the things that I've said during the forum.

During the forum, I stressed that after the defeat of BN, there is a need to do self examination of why voters rejected BN. We should have the courage to admit our mistakes and weaknesses and for leadership to apologize to their members for this defeat.

Since this time's voting cut across racial line, a lot of people would think that ethnic based political party like UMNO and MCA will soon become irrelevant. We seem to now have a 2 party system in the country, BN and Pakatan Rakyat (PR). PR-controlled state government will be watched by rakyat and BN to see how they perform in the coming years.

Ethnic-based political party will continue to have some relevance, but of course they need to change and reform. Voting this time has become non-racial because there are a lot of problems affecting every Malaysian and this include the inflation, corruption, abuse of power and religious issue. All these resulted in people wanting to teach BN government a lesson in the election. So, we should not be too fast to jump into conclusion that ethnic based political party will turn into political dinasour.

In a multiracial country like Malaysia, ethnic based political party still has a role to play. As long as Malay enjoys special rights, Islam is the official religion, head of state with the exception of Penang must be Malay/Muslim as stated in the constitution, there is still a role to be played by ethnic based political party even though our role will soon become more limited, unless rakyat start to view issues in a multiracial dimension. As long as there are Chinese who wants Chinese education, Chinese culture and Chinese temple, then there is a role for a Chinese-based political party.

Of course cooperation between BN component parties can never be the same as before. The concept of power sharing as practiced by PR in the state government is an eye opener to UMNO and MCA, moreover when the state government is dominated by Chinese although the Menteri Besar comes from Malay.

MCA needs to re-look at its relationship with UMNO. It has to be an equal status and equal right cooperation. The big brother mentality of UMNO has to go. UMNO leaders must begin to be humble, not to think that by default; they are the governing party. We must not forget that the rakyat has a choice today. If UMNO leader claim that he is leader of all races and not only Malay, then they should not just talk about Malay development agenda but national development agenda for all races. The idea that MCA must curry favour UMNO to get things done should be thrown out of window. Rakyat wants to see a BN government that is fair, democratic, transparent, non-racial and practices real power sharing and not a master in all relationships with other component parties. Then only can MCA be an efficient party in championing the rights of Chinese.

MCA must of course change and should be more multiracial in our outlook; instead of remaining as a Chinese-centric political party. We cannot be singing the same old tune of peace, stability and development since there is now the strong presence of opposition. With the opposition winning in the recently concluded election, this slogan will not sell anymore to the Chinese community. Voting for MCA will ensure Chinese representation in the cabinet and EXCO will also not sell anymore since they can now be representatives through PR.

MCA and wakil rakyats have this fixation that their job is to look after drains and garbage. Today people regard this as inefficiency of the local authority. Hence, our wakil rakyat need to do what the local authority should be doing but unable to do it well. Developing Chinese schools, relocation and funding has always been part of MCA's work. But today we need to do more. We should do things on a long term basis and we should have made announcements long before the general election.

MCA leaders need to be more vocal and high profile in championing our thoughts. Closed door meetings are no longer useful. Rakyat can accept a rise in political temperature because of racial issue. We must not be seen to only saying about Chinese right but must be seen to do it right. MCA cannot be seen to only concern about Chinese problems but should adapt to a more multiracial approach to all problems. Only by championing the cause of Chinese and all Malaysians will we then able to connect to rakyat. We must make our stand clear in issues affecting all Malaysians and not just Chinese. Hindraf is not just Indian's problem but also national issue. Then only MCA can project itself as a Chinese based party with a multiracial outlook.

In the PR controlled states, MCA found itself playing the role of opposition. It may not be easy for MCA members who are used to be a party in the government. So, we must learn how to monitor and to point out the short fall of the PR state government. MCA members must stay united and if they are not happy with the leadership, they have to wait until party election. It does not pay to blame anyone. We should continue to work to build up the good will and relationship established with local community. We must not forget if voters can throw us out, they will do the same to PR if they are not performing up to expectation. Jumping ship or hopping to other party will not solve MCA problem. We need your strength and your initiative to rebuild MCA.