“The people in these areas are very simple folk who just want development, peace and harmony. Outside issues do not have much of an impact on them as their priority is bread and butter issues.”
UMNO information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan, speaking about Felda settlers and Malay Malaysian voting trends in the Hulu Selangor by-election. (Source: Malay voters gave solid support, New Straits Times, 26 April 2010)
“Apart from basic amenities, the Chinese [Malaysians] are now more concerned about national issues.”
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, commenting on Chinese Malaysian voting trends in the Hulu Selangor by-election. Polling results showed strong support from the Chinese Malaysian community for the Pakatan Rakyat. He said providing allocations for Chinese-medium schools, halls and better drainage systems were no longer enough to gain Chinese Malaysian support. (Source: It’s a wake-up call, says Chua, The Star, 26 April 2010)
“Maybe we need to speak up on sensitive core political issues in a thorough manner instead of confining ourselves to traditional issues, such as allocations for Chinese schools, that are no longer attractive to the younger generation.”
MCA central committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker, reflecting on the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s poor showing among the Chinese Malaysian community in Hulu Selangor. (Source: MCA seems unable to arrest the 2008 slide, New Straits Times, 26 April 2010)
“We need to build closer rapport with the Chinese [Malaysians] in new villages and explain properly the national issues as they are very much in touch with current events.”
MCA vice-president Datuk Donald Lim, saying it would take time for the BN to build trust in the Chinese Malaysian community. (Source: Lim: Build trust of the Chinese, The Star, 27 April 2010)
“These villagers talk and form opinions. Most of them are watching developments closely and they want policies to be translated into actual action, and not only look good on paper.”
Selangor MCA deputy chairperson Datuk Teh Kim Poo, agreeing with party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek that MCA leaders had to be more vocal in relaying the people’s concerns. Teh said that voters in Chinese Malaysian villages were more informed now about national issues compared with five decades ago. (Source: Lim: Build trust of the Chinese, The Star, 27 April 2010) 
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Sean says
I’m in rough agreement with one of your fellow twits (what is the singular form of ‘tweeple’?) I saw in your #HS feed on this subject when you tweeted something similar to the quotes here.
I realise that many Malaysians do discuss politics in similar terms to the above. On the other hand, such a crude and fundamentally irrelevant categorisation seems to me to be a betrayal of any Malaysian who takes the time to vote based on an independent appraisal of all the information available to them. It also serves to perpetuate a socially retarding phenomenon.
I was disappointed by your tweet. It seemed like a departure from your usual editorial style. It didn’t help that it came at the tail-end of an already disappointing occasion.
EmptyA says
“Maybe we need to speak up on sensitive core political issues in a thorough manner instead of confining ourselves to traditional issues, such as allocations for Chinese schools, that are no longer attractive to the younger generation.”
Now only you realise this? Ha…
MCA has NEVER spoken out on any national or universal issues like human rights, corruption, transparency and governance because they are not concerned. They are only concerned with their self-interest.
Neptunian says
The fundamental question here is not who voted for whom. The question that should be asked is – in a confidential, secret ballot, how does one know who voted for whom? Getting a complete breakdown of racial votes? How?
waste says
Please don’t waste your time to vote… “don’t even bother to register” is my advice for those who are eligible.
Ida Bakar says
Now I get it! All the above can be summerised by Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs (in his Theory of Human Motivation). Keep the Malay [Malaysians] poor and insecure and they will do anything for the sake of ‘peace and harmony’. After all, they have to look after their ‘periuk nasi’ or ‘bread and butter’ as the good Umno man puts it.
The Chinese [Malaysians], on the other hand, are not scared into submission and therefore can see beyond the immediate needs of safety and security and are therefore able to demand a stake in the running of the country (self-actualisation) as proper citizens.
Conclusion: Keep the Malay [Malaysians] poor and scared and ignorant, then Umno-BN can stay in power.
Freedom says
Let me summarize it in three words for you, MCA:
DO YOUR JOB!
Not that there’s any chance left anyway… LOL…
Billy says
If the Chinese [Malaysian] votes are to be garnered by BN, MCA should stop acting like a running dog to Umno. Speak up on issues, though not necessary related to the Chinese [Malaysian] community, but to all Malaysians as well, even if it means being sent to ‘Siberia’ like Sothinathan (MIC) who spoke up for the Indian medical students in Russia. If MCA continues to keep silent even when national policies are bad, there is no hope of a chance of them getting the support of Chinese [Malaysians]. While Malay [Malaysians] and Indian [Malaysians] may look at micro issues, the Chinese [Malaysians] look at macro issues and their correlations to them.
Mohamed IQBAL says
Everybody says Chinese [Malaysians] talk about national issues! Nobody is detailing what national issues they are concerned about and their stand! Are the Chinese not progressing currently? Are they not able to do business, freedom to express etc? They are in fact the best among all the communities here. What are they expecting? Want Singapore-like policies, like one common-medium school for all races for better progress?
Merah Silu says
Well, we all respect the Chinese [Malaysian] voting trend. They are very well informed about national issues compared to five decades ago. Now they realise that this adopted country is a democratic country, not like their motherland China. Over there they were suppressed by their communist rulers. Now with economic power they would like to be the ruler of their adopted country. They are ready to take over power through manipulation, bribery, and cheating. Well, they are used to this kind of things and hopefully the native, the Malays, are still in deep sleep. These descendants of economic-seeking-immigrants realise that they are ‘adopted citizens’ and once they complete robbing the wealth of this country, they will move to other country.