COMMENT | In the past, MCA has allowed DAP a free hand to paint MCA black believing that actions and results speak better than words. Unfortunately, the reality is that lies and half-truths repeated too often do have an impact or leaves an impression that might be difficult to erase. 

Under the leadership of Liow Tiong Lai and his deputy Wee Ka Siong as well as after years of transforming MCA into a united force, MCA is now ready to call DAP's bluff and put an end to all their lies.

The recent attempt by DAP's publicity chief Tony Pua and assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin is a point where MCA held DAP by its horns.

Both DAP leaders tried to accuse MCA vice-president Chew Mei Fun of abusing her position and authority to “purchase” a piece of land in Selangor in a mischievous slant.

In the past, DAP leaders would get away with bigger lies but this time around both DAP leaders were silenced by a legal letter from Chew. 

In the latest MCA central committee meeting, the president had sounded the clarion call to all leaders not to take DAP's lies or twists like a gentleman any longer.

The president said it is time to call their bluff and expose their lies as the people are slowly seeing their real faces and personas.

They spent all their time spewing lies and spinning untruths and MCA has been too kind towards them. 

MCA had been occupied with fighting extremists from within and outside BN. MCA had been working hard to deliver to the community in all aspects and all that DAP is doing is pointing and sniggering.

But what has DAP done or delivered to the Chinese community after nearly a decade of coming into power in the states of Penang and Selangor?

The latest is MCA's breakthrough in delivering 16 new Chinese vernacular schools. This is the first time the Ministry of Education approved the setting up of 10 new Chinese vernacular schools and six more under resettling.

This is historic and a breakthrough at a time where the extreme right is demanding a single streamlined school system.

The movement to demand a streamlined school system is real and gaining momentum from many quarters including academicians, leaders and moderates.

The call is louder now and calling for the closure of vernacular schools is no longer deemed “seditious” and the right to learn other languages guaranteed in the constitution has been interpreted as “the constitution permits the learning or using of other languages (besides the national language) but it does not mean a right to use the mother tongue as a medium of instruction”. 

MCA's leadership under Liow has held back PAS' proposed amendments to RU355 from being adopted by the government and secured the approval of 10 new Chinese vernacular schools in one go.

This is no ordinary feat. Liow's predecessors with a bigger mandate and the community's support had failed to achieve something of this scale.

Alternatively, it can be said that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is more liberal and accepting of Chinese vernacular education compared to past BN leaders like Anwar Ibrahim or Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

Despite making a significant breakthrough in the Chinese education movement, DAP leaders especially secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had tried to divert the issue.

DAP raised petty and old issues, refusing to acknowledge this breakthrough to the ire of MCA’s Liow.

Liow has called on DAP to show their results or report cards on their contributions towards Chinese education development in their decade-old rule in Selangor and Penang. 

If DAP cannot show their contributions or results, then please let MCA do our work without interruption.

TI LIAN KER is MCA's publicity spokesperson and religious harmony bureau chairperson.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.