YOURSAY 'Collin Tiew represents MCA, so by extension MCA supports Perkasa. If he acted on his own, then he should be disciplined.'

'I've been made victim of Perkasa CNY open house'

your say FellowMalaysian: Collin Tiew's apology, if it can be called one, is insincere as he has not conceded any wrongdoing.

First, he lied when he said he went on stage merely to translate Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali's speech and that he did not endorse his speech. If that was so, then Collin must be a donkey in disguise as MCA's branch chief.

He has deceived the poor and ignorant Chinese and delivered them into Ibrahim's hands to be mocked and ridiculed by the racist sob. Tiew should be held accountable for his misdeed and be rightly punished by the people.

Onyourtoes: Tiew, you should seriously consider a career change; I don't think you will ever be a successful politician.

You stayed in this country, indulged in its politics, and you did not know who that ‘katak' (frog) was and what he stood for?

May be giving angpow packets in white envelopes was a genuine mistake on their part (after all, what is Chinese culture and tradition to a group of half-baked xenophobia) but how can you ever believe that Perkasa was sincere in organising a Chinese New Year party.

Have you not asked why there was a need for them to do this? Why were they celebrating, for who, and why? If you haven't even asked these basic questions, who should you blame?

Even a nincompoop would know the celebration was to trivialise Chinese New Year just to show there were some Chinese desperate, hungry or greedy enough to attend the open house even though Perkasa has been bashing the Chinese endlessly.

By the way, who have asked you to send 50 poor and marginalised Chinese to attend?

YF: Tiew, you made the poor and old folks whom you brought to the Perkasa Chinese New Year open house to be victims of insult and scorn from both sides of the fence. They trusted you and you betrayed them.

And now you say you are the victim? That's a very selfish statement when it's these poor elderly folks who have been bashed right, left and centre, including those critics here in this forum. Repent and apologise to them.

Malaysian Born: He is a victim of his own stupidity and gullibility. What kind of political leader goes around associating with such low lifes, translating their speeches without any reference to the content or its implications.

Tiew is a huge embarrassment to his party and his community. The fact that he is trying to justify this really dumb mistake is indicative of his complete ignorance of the impact of his actions.

Cala: Collin Tiew, now that you suspect you have been made a victim of the circumstance, how would you redeem yourself?

If Perkasa is sincere in helping the elderly and the poor, would you and Perkasa be seen to do something more tangible for the society? Would you not help Perkasa to be less racially biased?

Lover Boy: Collin Tiew, much has been said about your stupidity and I cannot agree more to the majority of the comments made against you, and perhaps your family.

I suggest that you make amends by organising another Chinese New Year open house and bring those oldies over.

Invite your good friends from Perkasa and get them to wear Chinese red costume and then ask Ibrahim Ali to dish out the ang pows (red packets) to the old folks.

Malaysiasakit: Surely Collin Tiew knows the taboo about distributing white packets during Chinese New Year and he chose not to alert Ibrahim Ali (assuming Ibrahim Ali is not aware). Instead he stood by watching gleefully.

This is clear-cut evidence that Perkasa is an extension of Umno and that MCA is working hand-in-glove to antagonise the Chinese. This has to be a new low for MCA, but I am not betting on them not stooping lower.

Dhammika: At your leadership level in MCA, you should be more versed with the motive of Perkasa. You represent MCA, so by extension MCA supports Perkasa.

If you acted on your own, then you should be disciplined.

Mr KJ John: Politics makes strange bedfellows!

Ferdtan: I just don't understand MCA leaders. Perkasa criticises and humiliates the leaders of MCA in public without any restraints; and yet they still love to fraternise with them.

First was the Selangor MCA leader, Teh Kim Poh, who demonstrated against the state government with Perkasa in Shah Alam, and now Collin Tiew.

Haven't MCA forgotten that Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali wanted to 'teach MCA a lesson' in the general election if MCA did not retract its remarks on hudud?

Didn't they call the MCA president, Chua Soi Lek, rude and clueless (with regard to hudud issue) and warn him to 'watch his mouth'?

Didn't Ibrahim Ali say at a press conference in June 2010 that MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong was "rude and insolent" with regard to his statement urging the government to maintain the PSD (Public Service Department) scholarships?

Is it the nature of MCA - that it loves to be abused?

Dieformoney: Chinese can never resist money. If it was so offensive for them, they shouldn't have accepted the money in the first place.

The only way we can teach this frog a lesson is to change ruling party in the next elections. Ibrahim is a Malaysian and boast about unity but he doesn't even know the cultures of Malaysians.

What if we had invited him for Chinese New Year dinner and offered him beer? Wouldn't there be chaos in the country?

Jeremy Ng: I pity Tiew for all the brickbats he is getting for the Perkasa CNY open house incident. The damage has already been done. If he is truly remorseful and sincere, he should do the following:

1) Apologise to all his elderly guests for the insults of being given white ang pow on this auspicious occasion.

2) Place an advertisement apologising to all Chinese in the Chinese newspapers.

3) Make an official apology to MCA leadership and resign from all division or branch positions.

And have an open house to test whether his apology has been accepted by gauging the numbers of guests. If the attendance is poor, then sorry, his apology is not accepted.

He can then join Perkasa to assist in getting elderly poor non-Malays to attend Perkasa demonstrations and make police reports.

Multi Racial: It is absurd that Collin Tiew claimed he was not aware of Ibrahim's and Perkasa's intention. Everyone knows the Chinese give red ‘ang pow' on not only CNY (Chinese New Year) but also other occasions.

There is no excuse for Tiew in not knowing this. And no excuse for Ibrahim Ali either. Instead, if Ibrahim has done something wrong, the least Tiew could do was to stop him.

Joe Lee: Here are some insight for our non-Chinese readers:

"First, there is often a wake that precedes the funeral. During the wake, family and friends bring flowers, which are elaborate wreaths that include banners with couplets written on them, and white envelopes filled with cash. Traditional Chinese funeral flowers are white. Irises are a traditional Chinese funeral flower.

"The white envelopes are similar to red envelopes that are given at weddings. White is the colour reserved for death in Chinese culture. The amount of money put in the envelope varies depending on the relationship to the deceased but must be in odd numbers.

"The money is meant to help the family pay for the funeral. If the deceased person was employed, his or her company is often expected to send a large flower wreath and sizeable monetary contribution."

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