Soi Lek slammed over ‘inaccurate’ ads

Dr Chua ... took out advertisements accusing Ong of failing to lead the party. – Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 – MCA secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng has rebutted claims by suspended deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and his supporters in the media that party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat had failed in his capacity to lead the 60-year-old party.

Describing the information in advertisements in several Chinese newspapers yesterday as inaccurate, Wong said the advertisements accusing Ong of failing to cooperate with Dr Chua and thus, creating a party conflict, was false.

“Not only did the suspended deputy president fail to show his sincerity and action to cooperate with the president, he has also issued statements damaging the party’s image, to the media,” he told reporters after having a discussion with Ong and about 30 of the party’s central committee members here today.

Dr Chua yesterday took out full-page advertisements in several Chinese newspapers focusing on his manifesto in the run-up to tommorrow’s MCA extraordinary general meeting with the theme, ‘Reject, Reunite, Rejuvenate” or 3R.

The advertisments also alleged that Ong was involved in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, and failed to garner support from Chinese community leaders to carry out reforms in the party.

They (advertisements) also highlighted the punishment which befell Dr Chua, following the sex scandal in early 2007.

Wong said Ong did not misuse his power as party president in removing Dr Chua as his deputy. Instead, he said, the disciplinary action was a collective decision by the MCA leadership, in accordance with the party’s constitution and was made in a democratic manner.

Meanwhile, MCA will hold a pre-EGM dinner at the Wisma MCA tonight. However, Dr Chua’s supporters are also holding separate dinners at three venues – Corus Hotel, Dynasty Hotel and Federal Hotel.

Asked to comment on the matter, Wong said: “To me, I’m a bit sad that another group is organising another dinner, more or less of the same kind tonight, but delegates from all over the country, irrespective of who they support, should come for the dinner at Wisma MCA because it is organised by the headquarters, not the president or party leaders.”

The delegates can use the opportunity to interact with one another, he added.

Meanwhile, party vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who was also present at the news conference, reiterated his call for the delegates to make a responsible choice tomorrow, for the sake of the party’s future and the interests of the Chinese community at large.

He said the EGM was crucial as more than a year after the 12th general election, the party faced tremendous internal pressure.

“We were under tremendous pressure from the outside, to reform after the last general election. But now, we are facing pressure, from the inside and we are hoping to solve the problems in the best manner.

“Whatever the decision made tomorrow, we must take into account, the feeling and confidence level of the Chinese community so that we can win back their support in the next general election,” added Liow.

On preparations for the EGM, Wong said all arrangements were in place and hoped to see the proceedings run smoothly. – Bernama

Polis ambil keterangan Soi Lek

KUALA LUMPUR: Timbalan Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek hari ini memberi keterangan di Balai Polis Sunway, Subang kira-kira 45 minit berhubung kenyataannya mengenai Ketuanan Melayu.

Beliau berkata, keterangannya diambil bermula jam 9.15 pagi berhubung syarahannya bertajuk Perubahan Politik di `Kancil Speaker Series', Khamis lalu.

“Saya hanya memberi keterangan kepada pihak polis apa yang sebenarnya saya ucapkan dalam majlis itu kerana ia sudah diputar belitkan oleh pihak tidak bertanggungjawab,” katanya pada sidang media di Wisma MCA di sini.

Beliau sekali lagi menegaskan bahawa kenyataannya bukan mencabar kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu atau menafikan kedudukan istimewa orang-orang Melayu.

Soi Lek dakwa ucapan diputar belit

Timbalan Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek hari ini mendakwa ada pihak tertentu yang sengaja memutarbelitkan ucapannya yang menyentuh tentang Ketuanan Melayu untuk membangkitkan kemarahan kaum Melayu.

Sebaliknya, kata Dr Chua, apa yang dimaksudkannya dalam ucapannya itu adalah dalam konsep perkongsian kuasa di dalam Barisan Nasional (BN).

Ditanya siapakah pihak-pihak yang dimaksudkannya itu, bekas menteri kesihatan itu tidak menyebut secara jelas tetapi mendakwa mereka ialah badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) serta pihak-pihak yang akan menghadapi pemilihan parti.

Dalam ucapan penerimaan Anugerah Kancil di Petaling Jaya pada 27 November lalu, Dr Chua dilaporkan berkata, konsep perkongsian kuasa dalam Barisan Nasional (BN) mesti diubah dan slogan 'Ketuanan Melayu', hubungan Tuan dan Hamba, tidak boleh diterima lagi.

Dr Chua juga dilaporkan berkata: "Kita menerima kepimpinan Melayu, tetapi bukan Ketuanan Melayu."

Berikutan itu, semalam Gabungan Graduan Melayu Muda (GGMM) menghantar notis guaman menuntut timbalan presiden MCA itu memohon maaf kepada orang Melayu kerana mendakwa ucapannya itu berbaur hasutan.

Bercakap dalam satu sidang akhbar hari ini, Dr Chua berkata apa yang dimaksudkannya dalam ucapannya itu adalah dalam konsep perkongsian kuasa di dalam Barisan Nasional (BN).

‘Jangan beremosi'

"Saya amat kesal dengan tindakan pihakpihak tertentu yang sengaja memutarbelitkan ucapan saya demi membangkitkan kemarahan kaum Melayu.

"Saya menasihatkan mereka yang mendakwa kononnya ucapan saya ini mencabar kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu atau menafikan kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan bumiputera, seperti yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaann Persekutuan, (supaya) membaca keseluruan ucapan saya terlebih dahulu dan bukan hanya menjurus terus kepada istilah Ketuanan Melayu yang dipetik dan dibaca di luar kontaks, sebelum mengeluarkan dakwaan sedemikian.

"Biarlah kita berhujah dengan rasional dan bukan beremosi. Ingin saya jelaskan di sini, bahawa tajuk ucapan yang saya sampaikan ialah mengenai perubahan dalam dunia politik di negara kita.

"Saya menyentuh tentang perubahan lanskap politik di negara kita selepas pillihanraya umum pada 8 Mac 2008 yang menandakan permulaan kepada sistem dua parti," katanya.

Sejajar dengan itu, tegas Dr Chua, parti-parti politk yang ada juga perlu berubah supaya mereka menjadi lebih berdaya saing demi meraih sokongan rakyat.

"Dalam ucapan itu, saya juga menekankan bahawa perjuangan parti-parti komponen BN seharusnya membela nasib semua kaum dan bukan hanya nasib satu kaum sahaja," katanya.

Oleh itu, katanya, pendekatan yang harus diambil adalah kepada isu dan bukan hanya kepada kaum sahaja.

Konsep perkongsian kuasa

"Kita boleh mengamalkan agama, budaya dan mempelajarI bahasa ibunda masing-masing tetapi kita perlu mempunyai sikap yang lebih mencerminkan kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia.

"Kita menerima hakikat bahawa isu yang melibatkan sesuatu kaum akan memberi kesan kepada kaum yang lain, dalam negara kita. Seterusnya, saya menyentuh tentang kita perlu mengubah konsep perkongsian kuasa, dalam BN," katanya.

Dr Chua berkata, istilah Ketuanan Melayu memberi tafsiran bahawa parti-parti komponen bukan Melayu dalam BN adalah hamba.

"Kita menerima kepiminan yang diterajui oleh pemimpin Melayu. Ada pihak tertentu mengeksploitasi istilah Ketuanan Melayu ini bahawa parti-parti yang lain dalam BN adalah hamba dan perkongsian kuasa ini bukan sesuatu yang ideal dan saksama.

"Seterusnya saya menekan bahawa menolak konsep "Ketuanan Melayu" ini tidak bererti kita mempertikaikan kedudukan Raja-raja Melayu, kedudukan istimewa kaum bumiputera dan kedudukan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan sebagaimana yang termaktub dalam perlembagaan.

"Oleh itu, adalah nyata, saya menggunakan istilah Ketuanan Melayu dalam konteks perkongsian kuasa dalam BN dan bukan berkaitan atau mencabar kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu, kedudukan istimewa bumiputera dan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan," katanya.

Menurutnya lagi, dalam konsep perkongsian kuasa dalam BN, ada pihak-pihak tertentu yang berkata, dalam pilihanrayaraya, kalau undi BN bermakna menyokong Ketuanan Melayu.

Jadi, katanya, perkara ini sukar untuk diperjelaskan.

Mengenai kedaulatan Raja Melayu, beliau berkata, isu bahasa Melayu, kedudukan istimewa bumiputera dan orang Melayu itu sudah jelas dalam perlembagaan dan diterima oleh semua orang.

"Kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu dalam konteks Raja sebagai tuan, rakyat sebagai hamba, diterima," katanya.

Malay group wants Soi Lek to pay RM2 million for citizenships granted during Merdeka

By Adib Zalkapli

Dr Chua Soi Lek asked to pay RM2 million to group for remarks on Malay leadership and supremacy

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 - A Malay rights group is demanding MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek pay RM2 million in compensation for allegedly questioning the special position of the Malays.

Mohd Apis Johar from the Young Malay Graduates Movement (GGMM) said he was disturbed by remarks made by Dr Chua late last month, in which he said he accepted Malay leadership but not Malay supremacy.

"Before Merdeka, with a stroke of a pen, two million non-Malays were granted citizenship," the group's lawyer Khairul Azam Aziz told reporters.

MCA official Yap Chin Chin,partly hidden, receiving the letter of demand from lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam. Yap said that she would forward it to the party's leadership. - Picture by Choo Choy May

He added that the money would be donated to any organisation interested in the advancement of the Malay community.

In its notice of demand addressed to Dr Chua, the lawyer who acted on behalf of Mohd Apis, also urged the former Labis MP to retract his statement an issue a public apology.

"The statement of apology must be approved by us on behalf of our client before it is uploaded to your blog," said Khairul Azam in the notice.

He added that they would proceed with legal action if Dr Chua fails to comply with his demands.

GGMM also wants everyone to stop questioning Malay supremacy.

Its spokesperson Nik Rizman Sapian said the group is not linked to any political party but merely interested in defending Malay rights.

"For those who question Malay rights as stated in the constitution, we will not hesitate to take action," said Nik Rizman.

Earlier, the small group, who were outnumbered by members of the media, marched from the Ampang Park LRT station to Wisma MCA to hand over the notice.

The notice was received by MCA official Yap Chin Chin, who said that she would forward it to the party's leadership.

Dr Chua's remarks on Malay supremacy has drawn criticism from Malay leaders including Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein who reportedly said that it would be better for BN component parties to join the opposition if they continue harping on the issue.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has distanced himself from his deputy by saying the remark is not the party's stand.