MCA Youth to reposition self to be effective Opposition

MCA HQ, 18 May – It was a sombre MCA Youth Central Committee meeting press conference chaired by its chairman Datuk Chong Sin Woon as its members reflected on the watershed 14^th general election which saw the ruling Barisan Nasional government deposed for the first time in 61 years. Flanked by other MCA Youth Central Committee members, Sin Woon, reading from a prepared press statement conceded that  “as a ruling party in the previous government, we did not play our role effectively, ignoring the voice of the people” and expressed the need to “view things from people’s perspective.”

Earlier, on behalf of MCA Youth, he said that “we hereby apologise to the people and party members for this failure.” Rare when politicians apologise as apologies maybe perceived as signs of weakness when they are not, and such an admission must be praised.

Replying to a question if there was any specific area MCA Youth would want to focus on, Sin Woon who took on but lost to DAP’s incumbent Antony Loke for the very difficult federal constituency of Seremban informed that, “there is a lot (of areas to focus on) but not now.” Rather than rushing into criticisms against Pakatan Harapan, Sin Woon explained that “both sides must give time to the new government to implement new policies.”

Adding that “(MCA Youth) needs time to reunite the party especially from the youth side,” Sin Woon clarified that “we have more than 50 youths as candidates for GE14, and some are very quality candidate (sic). We need to keep them, train them and make sure they are able as an Opposition and to contest in the next GE.” Sin Woon thus had explained that MCA Youth will be moulding its leaders to be an effective Opposition to monitor Pakatan and raise pertinent issues which require a remedy.

Rather than scowling at losing in the GE, MCA Youth lauded the democratic process which Malaysia experienced and the smooth transition of power. He stressed that MCA Youth is “happy to see the materialisation of a democratic two-party system in Malaysia, especially if it is a healthy one with an effective check-and-balance to ensure a more stable and prosperous future for our nation.”

In all humility, the MCA Youth CC concluded their press conference by bowing to acknowledging the victory of Pakatan Harapan, as well as to reflect on recouping from MCA’s defeat at GE14.

Full contents of the press statement are obtainable here: http://www.mca.org.my/2/Content/SinglePage?_param1=18-052018-160785-05-201818&_param2=TS

-MCA online-