Former MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai overcome by emotions while speaking at MCA's 65th AGM. - Photo: ONG SOON HIN / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Former MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai was overcome by emotion while delivering his speech at the opening ceremony of the MCA 65th annual general assembly.
“I joined MCA after I graduated from university. It is a political party which is worthwhile for anyone to contribute his whole life to,” he said.
Liow said it would be the last time he spoke on stage at the party’s annual general assembly.
“I would like to thank my mentors, for you have provided me with the opportunity to mature; I would like to thank all comrades who have supported me, you gave me energy to surge forward
"I would like to thank all friends who have criticised me before, you reminded me of self-monitoring and self-improvement.
"I am particularly thankful to all comrades and MCA, without you, Liow Tiong Lai would be nobody,” he added.
“I urge all comrades to fully support our new president, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. We have no room for disunity, and no right to retreat.
"We can only strive forward in unity, and in unison. Together, let us make MCA great again, and bring MCA back to the political mainstream, to continue our fight for the nation,” he said, as he received a standing ovation from all the members.
In his speech, Liow said MCA places national interests above all else.
“For instance, we vehemently opposed the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355) with the clear conscience of wanting to safeguard our secular-based multi-culturalism.
"We will never abandon our principles for fear of misunderstanding and losing out on Malay votes,” he said.
Liow also condemned DAP for not fulfilling its election promises. He said DAP’s actions and inactions on various issues was typical of its "change of position, change of mind-set" phenomenon.
“We strongly condemn the DAP in government today, which has repeatedly gone back on its election promises.
"It exhorted no more segregation between bumiputra from non-bumiputra, but it stands for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad's bumiputra agenda; it criticised the RM50 mil SJKC development grant as being too little, but their grant today remains at the very same figure.
"It opposed the national car, but strongly supports Dr Mahathir's third national car project; it questioned the reduction from RM60mil to RM30mil in matching grants for operating expenses to Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC), but it is zero under the Pakatan government, providing only a RM5.5mil development grant, and DAP lawmakers have kept mum or have disappeared.
"It said it would listen to the people, but when the majority of the rakyat is against the abolition of the death penalty, it goes all out to argue for the government's decision to scrap capital punishment,” he said.
He said all this shows that there can never be a "perfect" political party.
"We can only work through a democratic two-party system, to facilitate the healthy rivalry between both sides of the divide, where the Opposition can effectively check and balance the ruling party, ensuring that it will never dare to ignore the people’s voice,” he said.
He added that MCA, being in the opposition, needs the people's support.
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