MCA Ready To Wrest Back Selangor

THU 01.07.2010

By Teoh El Sen

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional is ready to take on Pakatan Rakyat to wrest back Selangor with the help of MCA Selangor, MCA state publicity chief Yap Pian Hon said yesterday.

"We are preparing for a win and I think BN Selangor is ready under its chairman Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is doing everything for the component parties. MCA will also launch a new strategy," said Yap, a former party vice-president.

The MCA stalwart, dubbed the "cat with nine lives" for his political tenacity, told FMT that the party has a "fresh political strategy", including plans for a new state public complaints bureau as well as an MCA Selangor website to be launched soon.

It is learnt that the new complaints bureau will be an "elaborate" centre which will focus on winning back grassroots support for MCA and "restore the confidence of grassroots leaders in the party".

It is expected to be headed by Puchong MCA division vice-chairman Theng Bok.

Said Yap: "After the last general election, our morale plunged. We have never been the opposition, and many could not accept it. A lot of service centres were not effective enough. We must change. We cannot follow the old style. But now with Donald Lim (MCA vice-president), a strong grassroots team, and a new strategy, we are confident."

Yap said that it was time the Selangor rakyat realised how haphazardly Pakatan is governing Selangor.

"The Pakatan coalition is in a political crisis and it has not been effective in bringing about changes in the socio-economic sphere and solving the people's problems. It looks like it is its own
worst enemy – the partners are contradicting and quarelling with each other all the time,” said Yap, citing the recent controversy surrounding Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

"What is Pakatan's plan? It has been very slow in dealing with the economy; its leaders are only talking about small matters. In these two years, they can only show off its free water policy. What about Khalid's promise to redevelop Klang, Kajang and Petaling Jaya?"
'Marriage of convenience'

Yap also accused Pakatan partners of merely forging a "marriage of convenience" devoid of any common political identity or policies.

"PKR, DAP and PAS are all pursuing their own policies. They are on the 'same bed but having different dreams'," said Yap.

Theng said the new complaints bureau would focus on the performance of the Pakatan government, and would listen to the views of disgruntled people.

"We plan to take in constructive criticisms of the government. Besides normal complaints that would mostly go to Michael Chong (MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief), we will also take in any other complaints,” he said.

“The difference is that we are getting a team of lawyers, engineers and architechs to join us. We can even deal with issues related to developments," said Theng, adding that his new team would play a check-and-balance role.

Theng said the MCA team is doing a study and by year-end, the complaints bureau, to be loacted at the MCA Petailng Jaya Selatan division office, will be launched.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/barisan-nasional/7450-mca-ready-to-wrest-back-selangor-