Lim rebuffed an MCA claim that DAP was seeking to eliminate MCA from Malaysian politics. Lim said that DAP had “no intention whatsoever to eliminate MCA and Gerakan” and had never had such an intention or objective about any political party.
MCA publicity spokesman Ti Lian Ker had said on Tuesday that any DAP move to eliminate MCA and Gerakan would not bring any benefit to the Malaysian Chinese community.
It is believed that his claim was in reference to high-profile DAP candidates being named to contest in Ayer Hitam, Teluk Intan and Labis, where MCA and Gerakan leaders seek re-election.
Lim denied the opposition party had any such intention to eliminate MCA and Gerakan.
“DAP’s sole objective in moving its party leaders to contest in these seats is to help Pakatan Harapan win at least 120 parliamentary seats in the general election. We must do this to end the uninterrupted Umno-Barisan Nasional rule as the federal government,” he said.
Ti had also said that MCA and Gerakan had served the Chinese community much more effectively than DAP, despite DAP commanding a bigger number of representatives and support.
“DAP’s sole interest is to take ownership of the Chinese political representation. They desperately want to be part of the federal government,” Ti said.
Kit Siang has previously said that past general election results had shown that MCA’s three top leaders had won their seats in the Dewan Rakyat based on Malay votes.
“This was the case in Bentong where MCA president Liow Tiong Lai is MP, in Ayer Hitam where MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong is MP and Tanjung Malim where MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan is MP.”
Lim said for Wee and Ong, the Malay voter base exceeded 50%, with the Chinese community accounting for less than 30% of voters.
“Therefore, the placement of DAP leaders is meant to be a game changer to overcome the obstacles set before the federal opposition,” he said. The other game changer was DAP’s decision not to use its Rocket symbol but the PKR ‘eye’ logo as the common logo of Pakatan Harapan candidates.
“This will send a clear and unmistakable message to all voters, including the 3.6 million Umno members, one million PAS members and one million MCA members that in GE14, saving Malaysia is a higher patriotic duty than being members of a political party.”
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