Chong: Don’t be misled by ‘political dinosaurs’

PETALING JAYA: Only “political dinosaurs” still describe other races as pendatang (immigrants), says MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon.

Chong said he was sick of hearing people referring to the Chinese and Indians as pendatang and urged Malaysians not to be misled by these “political dinosaurs living in their own delusions”.

“We have been here for three or four generations. This is our homeland and no one has the right to call any Malaysian pendatang,” he said.

Chong praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for insisting that Chinese were not pendatang during Gerakan’s delegates conference yesterday.

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said Najib’s speech was “timely” and thanked him for acknowledging Chinese contri­bu­tions towards nation build­ing.

“The Prime Minister’s comment further strengthens the fact that the Malaysian Chinese community has long been involved in nation building,” he said.

MCA’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said those who still use pendatang to describe other races were “narrow-minded”.

Urging politicians from all races to not hurt each others’ feelings, he said that unity among the races was reflected in the country’s economic fundamentals.

Ong, who is also Minister of International Trade and Industry II, added that Malaysia recorded a trade surplus of RM10bil, with total imports and exports exceeding RM120bil.

“Such strong fundamentals can only be achieved through the hard work of all races,” Ong said.