Chua tells Johoreans to muster courage
to fight for change
JOHOR BARU (Oct 6, 2012): Johor PKR
chairman Chua Jui Meng tonight urged Johoreans, especially the Chinese, to
muster courage to fight for political change in Malaysia.
“It
is time for all Johoreans to stop fearing Barisan Nasional-Umno’s
intimidations. After 55 years of BN rule, we cannot afford to gamble further
with BN’s plundering ways that will surely bankrupt this nation.
“We
also have had enough of the racial and religious discord sowed by Umno and BN,”
he said at a mooncake cum ceramah outside Taman Puteri Wangsa PKR’s branch
office tonight.
“Anwar
has displayed marvellous leadership by example by showing that he really means
business, the courage to rally his Malay community for real change to uplift
their standard of living.
“In
unveiling Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s alternative Budget, Anwar made it clear that when PR comes to power, he
would do away with race-based policies to stimulate and fast track Malaysia’s
socio-economic progress.
Chua the fiery orator got the
rapt attention of the audience
“He is the first Malay leader to truly show that he is a courageous Malaysian
and has the heart for the country and his citizens. Malaysians, especially
Johoreans, must therefore not disappoint the efforts of such a leader.
“We
must all rise to support him to be our next Prime Minister,” he said to a
rousing round of applause from the crowd.
Chua,
who is also PKR vice-president, said he concurred with Anwar’s accusation that
Umno had manipulated and hijacked the New Economic Policy (NEP) to enrich only
the Umno elites and their cronies.
“Are
the Malays in the kampong and urban poor benefiting from the NEP? You only see
cronies like Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary getting richer and richer.
“Malaysians
have nothing to lose by giving Anwar and PR the chance to help raise the
standard of living of all Malaysians,” he said, adding PR’s macro-focused
alternative Budget would in the long run ensure a progressive and prosperous
nation.
He
said the BN had rubbished PR’s Budget to gradually reduce car excise duty,
starting with a 20% cut.
“In
the first place, why must Malaysians pay more than 100% in excise duty? Why are
the prices of our Proton cars so much cheaper in Langkawi and foreign
countries?
“It
is the uncaring BN government that is abusing its power and laws to enrich their
cronies in the car industry. The AP (Approved Permit) is used for this
purpose,” he added.
Chua
said the irresponsible BN-Umno had been using the ghost of May 13, 1969, bloody
racial conflict to frighten Malaysians into submitting to BN all these years.
“Declassified
documents at the Public Records Office in London suggest that the racial
bloodbath was intentionally started by Umno warlords as a coup d'état to topple
our
dearly beloved First Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, following
heavy defeats in the general election,” he said.
Chua
said in this digital age, the people were more educated and informed, and to
continue with such race politics “is irresponsible and outdated, to say the
least”.
Chua with other PR coalition party
leaders at the ceramah.
Part of the crowd listening attentively to
Chua articulating his views at the ceramah.
“The
people will not fall for such an archaic political ploy,” he said, reiterating
the need for Malaysians to make the right decision to fight BN’s divisive and
race politics.
He
said China was a much more backward country than Malaysia in the ‘80s.
“Today,
it has overtaken Malaysia by leaps and bounds. Why? The Chinese had the courage
to support change led by an honest and truly courageous leader like Deng Xiao
Peng.
“Today,
Anwar is that man for Malaysia,” he said to another round of applause.
