Donald Lim MCA VP proposed a Chinese Version of Perkasa?

Updated 12 July 2010:

MCA in damage control mode over ‘Chinese Perkasa’

By Clara Chooi July 12, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — MCA leaders today distanced themselves from their vice-president Datuk Donald Lim’s suggestion for a Chinese Perkasa, saying that the party does not practise retaliatory politics.

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that Lim’s views, which were reported on Saturday, were not the official stand of the party.

“We have one golden rule — ‘do unto others as you would have others do unto you’. So do not do unto others as you do not want Perkasa to do unto you.

“So the stand is simple: This is not the party’s stand. The party has voiced out its stand that we sometimes do not agree with what Perkasa does or says, so why should we set up another body to counter them?

“Whatever action, there will be a reaction,” the health minister told reporters in Parliament today.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong said the party never practised “tit-for-tat” politics and was of the opinion that forming a Chinese Perkasa to counter the original Perkasa would not solve any issues.

Wee, who was himself recently at loggerheads with Perkasa’s fiery president Datuk Ibrahim Ali, said that Lim could have been misquoted.

“I was informed by a friend of Lim’s that his words had been spun out of context,” he said.

Lim had reportedly called for the formation of a Chinese Perkasa for the purpose of rebutting the often racially-sensitive statements made by the Malay rights non-governmental organisation.

He had said that it was not suitable for MCA, as a political party, to fight head-on with Perkasa as political parties and NGOs function at different levels.

Original Post:

After what I thought was a good presentation by Dr. Chua the MCA President on the occasion of his 100 days in office here which should put the MCA on the road to recovery, then just a few days later from out of the blue comes Donald Lim MCA VP who proposed a Chinese Version of Perkasa.

Beware of Donald, warns Ibrahim
SAT, 10 JUL 2010 22:08

By Stephanie Sta Maria (Freemalaysiatoday)

KUALA LUMPUR: Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali has issued a yellow alert on MCA vice-president Donald Lim following the latter's call for a Chinese version of Perkasa yesterday.

“Donald is a dangerous man who is promoting racial tension among NGOs,” Ibrahim told FMT via text message. “Donald's political lifespan is a mere six years as a senator. That he is seeking out a Chinese NGO to fight Perkasa is uncalled for.”

Donald had suggested that a Chinese version of Perkasa be established to counter the right-wing Malay group's racial assaults and has set his sights on the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall to play this role.

He explained that it would be inappropriate for the MCA to take on such a responsibility as political parties and NGOs operate differently.

Ibrahim, who is also Pasir Mas MP, however, scorned Donald as “another desperate MCA leader” and warned that MCA can forget about enjoying the Malay votes if it continues its current leadership style.

Donald's statement has lit up a number of posts on microblog Twitter with a few well-known personalities airing their views.

Petaling Jaya Utara MP, Tony Pua, wrote, “Thinks MCA still don't get it, as Donald Lim calls for a 'Chinese' Perkasa. Its about 'Malaysian', not race.”

“It's the fashion in BN: everyone going Perkasa! PM @NajibRazak might as well announce 1Msia dead & buried,” posted Batu MP, Chua Tian Chang.

In reply to DAP Socialist Youth head, Anthony Loke's prodding, Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong wrote, “disagree w "tit4 tat" tactic, no doubts NGO is entitled to its view, but must b rea'ble (reasonable), sen'ble (sensible) & const'nal (constitutional)".

The Ayer Hitam MP was at the receiving end of Ibrahim and Perkasa's tirade recently when he questioned whether the government would consider reducing the number of Mara scholarships.

Ibrahim accused him of challenging Malay rights, while Perkasa's newsletter Suara Perkasa carried a headline demanding that Wee be arrested under the ISA in its inaugural issue."

I think as it is our Malaysian Chinese brethrens have so many already in Malaysia for a long time now and probably have more than that put together by the rest of us.

In fact the MCA is the biggest albeit political group protecting Chinese Rights and Culture in Malaysia, the other powerful Chinese based NGOs are The National Federation of Chinese School Headmasters and Dong Zhong (United Chinese School Committees association). Besides that there is the very powerful Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia and the influential Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Plus the various Clan Associations etc. The Chinese in Malaysia are never short of NGOs for any subject that is for sure. Such is the wonders of democracy and freedom of speech in Malaysia.

Readers might want to read this posting in Uncle Lim Kit Siang's Blog -Formation of Chinese Perkasa: A Dangerous Way to Win General Election . Besides the part about the never ending labeling of Perkasa as being racist which I totally disagree, the rest of the article is quite a interesting read, readers to form their own opinion though.

Anyway I hope that Dr Chua will come up with a statement "untuk menjernihkan keadaan" and stop the loose Pakatan Pact from making a political meal out of poor Donald Lim's proposal.