16 January 2021

Simultaneous Opening Ceremonies of MCA Youth AGMs

Keynote speech by MCA Youth National Chairperson Datuk Nicole Wong Siaw Ting

Greetings to all state MCA Youth chiefs and MCA Youth comrades! Welcome to each and everyone of you who are attending the Simultaneous Opening Ceremonies of the MCA Youth AGMs in each state under the new normal.

After the end of 2020, we did not expect to enter the second week of 2021 with the resumption of the Movement Control Order. Our nation is currently entering the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. As of 13 January 2021, the number of confirmed positive cases in the country has reached four digits daily for more that 10 consecutive days. The cumulative number of confirmed positive cases in Malaysia has exceeded 140,000, and the cumulative number of deaths has exceeded 560. As of today, there are more than 30,000 active cases who are still infectious, and the number of patients down with the new coronavirus worldwide has hit almost 100 million!

The statistics I have just mentioned have actually led to our country’s medical system hitting a breaking point. To effectively control the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak, the government has also been compelled to make a most difficult decision, whereby MCO 2.0 and the State of Emergency was declared. There was no other choice other than to make this decision for the aske of safeguarding the rakyat’s health.

Cities in states that have implemented the MCO are imported drivers of the country’s economy. It is forecasted that our nation’s economy will be severely hit. One statistics reveals that during the recent execution of the CMCO, our nation’s GDP lost as much as RM300million daily; Between the major choice of either the economy or people’s health, the government has opted to safeguard the rakyat’s health!

As neighboring countries Singapore and Indonesia begin to vaccinate its citizens, our country should accelerate the progress of vaccination. The government signed a supply agreement with Pfizer for the production of the Covid-19 vaccine on 11 January 11 under the coordination of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

In addition, Pharmaniaga Bhd in cooperation with Sinovac Life Sciences Co. Ltd. will prepare the supply of 14 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine for our country. It is expected that the vaccine will be available for our citizens by the end of March this year. The above is the latest development by the government on vaccine procurement and supply. MCA Youth also calls for the supply of vaccines to be in place quickly. It is hoped that the commencement of vaccinations will enhance the rakyat’s confidence in life and the economy.

According to the Ministry of Health, once the Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for marketing in our country, front-line personnel including healthcare staff, nursing homes for the elderly, the military, police, immigration and fire rescue personnel will be given priority.

The second batch in line are the elderly above 60 years, as well as those with chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, kidney failure, high cholesterol and obesity.

Next comes public service providers, such as shop assistants, transportation, teachers, banks and security personnel.

The fourth stage would be for students.

We agree with this arrangement because front-line personnel are a high-risk contact group; at the same time, if the elderly are infected, their lives will be seriously threatened.


Floods ravaging the East Coast and Johor

2021 has just begun, and very serious flash floods have hit three states on the East Coast and in many areas of Johor. Tens of thousands of people have been affected by this calamity.

I am very pleased that the Crisis Relief Squad of MCA in the various states and the local MCA have demonstrated a high degree of mutual assistance and demonstrated the saying of “difficulties on one side, support from all sides”. They have successively provided materials, manpower and other forms of support at disaster-hit areas in various vicinities. MCA is a political party which helps all peoples. If the rakyat are suffering, MCA will use its structured organisational system and resources to help.

Thanks to efforts from all quartres, we have raised part of the relief funds within a short period of time, and will continue to work hard to recruit volunteers and raise funds to help the victims rebuild their homes.

The current political situation in our country

The political situation in our country remains chaotic. While our country is still facing the contagion and the economy and lives are threatened, there permeates a number of people who continue to be obsessed with the Prime Minister’s post. The number of people who test positive daily does not seem to be important compared to the numbers they claim to have.

The number of local Covid-19 cases is severe while the political situation is also in chaos. As MCA Youth chief, I call upon members of the ruling and opposition parties to stop their misbehaviour of fighting for power.

MCA Youth holds the same stance across the country. There is no way to accept opposition parties which still despise the Federal  Constitution and does not respect the nation’s head of state when the pandemic has grown severe, fiercely affecting the rakyat. It is tantamount to challenging the Constitution and the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. MCA Youth harshly criticises any political figure, irrespective if they hail from ruling and opposition parties. Stop this behaviour at once.

Next we are going to discuss about the section that is related to youth in politics:

Youth voters & automatic registration of youth voters

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Takiyuddin, who is in charge of legal affairs, said that it is expected that the voting age will be lowered to 18 years and the system of automatic registration of voters will be implemented by July 2021 at the latest.

Once this measure has been implemented, it is expected that more than 7 million new voters will be added, most of whom would be young adult voters;

In other words, youth voters will become the kingmakers during the 15^th general elections (GE15).

In the face of new and young adult voters, we need to do more work in all aspects, and we hope that state representatives can express more views and opinions in this regard through this Simultanous MCA Youth State AGM, so that the Headquartres can refer to your opinions more and comprehensively formulate strategic objectives:

However, I would like to remind each and every one of MCA Youth brothers and sisters to be prepared for the battle and prepare for war! Of course, when will the elections be held? This is a very important question, and I ask: Are we ready for it? This is the more important link. On an  urgent note: "opportunities are for those who are prepared"!

Finally, let's discuss about the economy:


Economic recovery measures during the pandemic

According to the Ministry of Human Resources (MoHR), the unemployment rate estimated in the fourth quarter was 4.69%, or, approximately 22,560 people were unemployed.

In the past few months, the government has successively announced the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) and the Short-term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), offering a number of policies to keep the jobs of workers, provide financial assistance to the unemployed, and even help jobless people to find a new job. Therefore, under PENJANA, the six major measures implemented by MoHR not only preserved the job opportunities of employees, but also created more job opportunities for the unemployed and school leavers.

Herewith I will explain to you the 6 major approaches of PENJANA to assist the unemployed and employers. They include:

1. Wage Subsidy Programme

2. National Employment Services Job Portal Upgrade

3. Gig Economy Social Protection and Skilling

4. Flexible Work Arrangement Incentives

5. Hiring and Training Assistance for Businesses

6. Reskilling and Upskilling Programme

Among them, the first 4th approach is implemented by the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO), the 5th is implemented jointly by SOCSO and the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), and the 6th is implemented by HRDF. If you have any ideas in this regard, we welcome your suggestions and opinions!

Finally, I would like to thank you again for taking the time to go online to participate in the Simultaneous MCA Youth State AGMs. I welcome all comrades to actively provide opinions. It is my hopes that  you safeguard your own health during these movement controls period. Please also convey my greetings to your families on my behalf. Let everyone wade through these difficult times together. You will not be alone, because we are in it together!

I hereby announce the official opening of the Simultaneous MCA Youth State AGMs

Thank you.

-MCA Online-