25 Nov 2019

Guan Eng & TAA: The best tag team or the best excuse?

As the issue of Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC)’s funding blazes on, the truth will be out eventually: This blatant act of oppression against an institute of higher learning is all orchestrated by the Finance Minister together with the TARCian Alumni Association (TAA).

Last year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng seemingly held the banner for Politics-Education-Separation, repeating his call for MCA to relinquish its control, while TAA chairperson Dato’ Yap Kuak Fong echoes Lim by expressing the association’s willingness to oversee TARUC’s fund. This year, Lim encroaches further, expressing a readiness to channel RM30 million funding to TARUC through a proposed trust fund to be managed by TAA. This level of mutual, tacit understanding between both parties is truly incredible.

Is the so-called separation of politics and education, just an excuse to force MCA out, and in turn, takeover TARUC with TAA? Hence, if MCA lets go, it would be wishful thinking that TARUC and TAA will simply sit obediently on the grounds of ‘politics-education-separation’.

Unless Lim Guan Eng is prepared to let go of his position as the Finance Minister and the Secretary-General of DAP, otherwise, it is improbable that the ending to this tussle will come close to a separation of politics and education. Worst case scenarios, it becomes a conspiracy with the Finance Minister and TAA swallowing up TARUC.

Besides, DAP had made a series of defamatory statements, alleging that MCA has misused the institution’s funds, and claiming TARUC should not receive government allocation because of its profits and ample repository. Yet they now decide to channel funds to the TAA: isn’t this a contradiction?

The people can discern what is right and what is wrong. TARUC has nurtured over 20,000 alumni over its course of 50-years, yet there are the black sheep who would choose to align with perpetrators. Some people live in the light, while some prefer to creep in the shadows. It is all up to them.

Datuk Tan Teik Cheng

MCA Vice-President

-MCA online-