From:
Date: 18 Nov 1999
Time: 22:19:28
Last warning to the Chinese voters!!
I would like to urge the Malaysian Chinese to think carefully before casting their vote in the coming general election. Please consider my views below:
1) For those who think that they have to vote for BN simply because MCA/Gerakan are component parties of BN, and only MCA/Gerakan can represent them, serve them and fight for their rights:
It is not necessary that a Chinese (especially in states where DAP is not active), must vote for BN. I believe that most Chinese are aware of the state of corruption and injustice of the current BN government; most of them hate Ling Liong Sick for always “Kow-Tow” to the PM and being a parrot of the PM; and most of them want to see some changes in the current MCA leadership. By voting for the Barisan Alternatif (BA) to increase the voice of the opposition, it can bring balance of power to the parliament. Subsequently, corruption will be reduced and the old leaders in BN will have to go. Isn’t it what you guys wanted?
It may be true that your local MCA/Gerakan representatives could had contributed something to the local community. However, for the sake of the country’s future, please vote for BA! Even if your local BN candidate lost in the election, MCA/Gerakan will remain there to serve you, and you got nothing to lose. In fact, they have to work even harder to serve you to win back the BN seat. What’s important is to increase the voice of BA in the state assembly and the parliament. Even if BA come into power one day, automatically MCA/Gerakan’s leadership and policy will change and work closely with BA. I bet, they will join BA as component parties. I believe BA will definitely accept them with open hands, provided their policy is aligned with BA and the old leaders like Ling Liong Sick are ousted.
2) For those who benefited from the development, the economic boom under the BN government, and thinks that they must continue support BN for continuous prosperity:
Please do not forget that the development brought by BN has caused some imbalances in the social-economy and some adverse effect on the unity of the people. The rich are getting richer, and cost of living is going higher and higher. All new infrastructure (e.g. KLIA, highways etc) are implemented with profit and pride in mind, what the people really needed are something convenient at moderate cost.
With cronyism, nepotism and corruption revealed every day in the local and foreign press, the poor start to realized that their hardship are actually caused by these tycoons either directly or indirectly through the privatization projects and whatever special privileges given to these cronies of the PM. Corruption cases like Perwaja, Bakun, LRT projects and so on which involved Chinese tycoons has tarnished the image of the innocent Chinese businessmen, and resulted in stereotype thinking that Chinese only get rich through scandals, and Chinese businessmen conspired with the PM’s in swindling of the nation’s wealth.
If you continue to support this type of government, you may benefit from it for the short term, but on the long run, you are the real loser. See what happen in Indonesia. When the people who had been taken for a ride by the government suddenly realized about it one day, when the situation had come to a stage where people are hungry, uprising will be erupted. And it’s you guys, the Chinese businessmen who will be the victim.
So, vote for BA for changes, for balance of power, before it’s too late!
3) For those who are afraid of riot if BN lost:
Don’t ever worry that BN will lose. Will all the money and government machinery they have, with all their experience in election dirty tricks in the past few decades, BN will never lose! What’s important is to deny them 2/3 majority. Therefore, go ahead and vote for BA with peace of mind. In fact, the chances of riot if BN win is higher, because at least 80% of the grass root Malays are supporters of BA. If the majority of the people got what the wanted, what’s there to riot for?
4) For those who think that they must continue to support BN because the PM has done a good job so far:
Of course, he has brought development and prosperity, but that is his job. He was elected by the peole and paid to do this job. However, all his achievements are over publicized in the local press. How about losses incurred by Perwaja, BBMB, Hicom etc? Isn’t the PM responsible for all these? Furthermore, the long term effect of his “my way” solution to the economic problem is yet to be known.
Please also do not forget that if given other leaders a chance to lead, they will deliver too. Mahathir is well known in getting rid of smart leaders who is a threat to him. He has also transformed the whole cabinet and chief ministers into a bunch of crowns and parrots. Any Malaysian with a little bit of brain juice will know that Mahathir is a dictator who has robbed off the nation’s wealth to feed his cronies. It’s only you guys, the politic ignorant Chinese who are still thinking that he’s a hero.
I would like to summarize that if you Chinese don’t mind being branded as robbers’ of the nation’s wealth; don’t mind to pay for higher utility bills, hospital bill (which will be privatized in the near future), highway toll, education bill etc; don’t mind that the Malaysia law and Police under BN cannot protect the innocence, then go ahead and vote for BN.
Dr. Tan NT Penang.
Election campaign material. DAP, please translate into Chinese and distribute.