KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional and its people-centric projects were heavily criticised by certain quarters that spread insults and defamation, yet its legacy has weathered the storm, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president said the projects had been described as "detrimental to the country", "mortgaging the nation" and "stealing the people's money".
However, he said in his speech at the party's 71st annual general meeting at Wisma MCA here on Sunday (Oct 20), the governments that followed Barisan chose to take up and continue these projects.
They include the Mass Rapid Transit Line 2 (MRT 2), Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 3, East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), Rapid Transit System (RTS), Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR), Lynas, Forest City, Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), and many more, he noted.
"Fostering a spirit of unity and harmony among the diverse races is also not an easy task, but Barisan succeeded in building unity through the spirit of consensus," he noted.
Dr Wee also said the MCA had faced a storm of defamation and insults in recent years but chose to maintain a moderate approach rather than resort to extreme responses.
It had been labelled "pak turut" (yes men) within the coalition and "insulted... simply because the MCA is friends with Umno, adheres to the Federal Constitution, celebrates diversity, and cherishes harmony," he said.
He said the coalition itself had been the victim of defamation which started escalating in 2008, leading to its downfall in the 2018 general election after more than 60 years in power.
According to Dr Wee, "the injection of hateful doctrine infused with racial incitement" was used to divert public support from Barisan.
"Bit by bit, the people began to distance themselves from us due to this poisonous propaganda," he lamented.
