Chua: Face the hard truth
‘If Umno falls, PAS will benefit more, not DAP or PKR’
PAS will be the principal benefactor if Pakatan Rakyat comes to power in the next general election, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
The MCA president said if Umno fell, the principal benefactor would be PAS and not the DAP or PKR.
“This is common sense. So, let’s not be deceived by dishonest rhetoric. Let us face the hard truth.”
Pointing out that a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS and PKR, he said that to empower DAP is to strengthen PAS.
“This would pave the way for PAS to be the taiko or lao da (big brother) in the state and federal government.
“In Perak in the last elections, DAP won 18 state seats, PKR won seven seats and PAS won only six seats, but it was a PAS candidate who became the Mentri Besar (Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin),” Dr Chua said in his opening speech at the Malaysian-chinese at Political Crossroads conference in Kuala Lumpur.
During the conference, the muchanticipated debate between Dr Chua and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Is the Two-party System Becoming a Two-race System was held. The event was jointly organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) and MCA think-tank Insap.
Dr Chua said the DAP, which liked to allude to their success in forming the Penang state government and having a DAP leader as the Chief Minister, has been giving false hope to the Chinese that this is possible in other states.
“By tradition, this is only possible in Penang but not other states as yet,” Dr Chua pointed out.
He said the DAP had been planting hope in the minds of about 6.5 million Malaysian Chinese that a Chinese-led government is possible and that the Malaysian Chinese had been short-changed by the MCA.
The MCA president noted that the next elections is at a crossroads not just for the Chinese alone, but also for the nation and all Malaysians.
Dr Chua likened Lim to a true street fighter constantly issuing countless statements to condemn or challenge others, and forgetting that he has a state to look after.
The Pakatan in Penang, he said, had yet to deliver its many promises; like building an international golf course, low cost houses, upgrading the public transport system, easing the horrendous traffic jams and upgrading the numerous run down hawker centres.
He also reminded Lim that the increase in foreign direct investments in Penang was a result of the federal government’s transformation programmes under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership which saw an increase in the nation’s competitiveness, ease of doing business and better public security.
Dr Chua also cautioned that Selangor would face serious water shortage if the state government did not address the issue fast.
“If the Pakatan Rakyat delivered all its promises as stated in the Buku Jingga, it will cost taxpayers a total of Rm199bil to Rm254bil and the federal budget deficit will rise to 27.5% of year one.
“Public debt will soar to RM617.1 bil in year one. Malaysia will go bankrupt by the second year of Pakatan’s tenure as the budget deficit will have exceeded 10% of the GDP and public debt will have exceeded 100% of the GDP,” he said.