It is both shameful and regrettable that in its quest to return to political relevance, MCA’s Vice President and Deputy Youth and Sports Minister would stoop so shamelessly low as to glorify his party’s iniquitous union with PAS.

Worse still, in referring to MCA’s cooperation with PAS as “MCA has accepted everyone, only we have our platform, our platform is the value of struggle”, he is proclaiming that he and his party shares the same struggles as PAS, and furthermore acknowledges PAS’ struggles as ‘noble’. 

PAS has never shied away from championing issues that are grave threats to the multicultural, multiethnic, multireligious fabric of our beautiful nation that is Malaysia. It has never been questioned whether or not PAS’ existence as a political party is constitutional, but there is no doubt that PAS would do away with the constitution as it is given the power. 

The deputy Minister’s statement now shows that MCA is prepared to hang on PAS’ coattails so long as they stay in power. Meaning, MCA would give PAS power so long as it keeps them in power.

It is ironic, though not at all surprising, that MCA is the one who is propping up and whitewashing PAS whilst UMNO- their masters in BN- are at the very least outwardly distancing themselves from PAS. 

Either the deputy Minister himself is too low down the pecking order and too far out of touch with the current political reality, or MCA itself is too irrelevant and intoxicated by being in power that they care not or know not of the toxicity that PAS brings.

The truth is, MCA as part of BN in their participation in the Sheraton Move, was the party that propelled PAS into the federal government with ministerships and highly remunerated GLC posts to boot. It is MCA who unleashed PAS’ potential and their extremist agenda into Malaysia’s political mainstream.

Glorifying an extremist party, submitting to their agenda, and giving them power and prominence at the expense of one’s own party’s credibility; one can only deduce that the sweet addictive allure of ministerships is far too intoxicating for MCA to put the country first.

Howard Lee Chuan How

ADUN Pasir Pinji