AN ECONOMIC VISION FOR THE
MALAYSIAN CHINESE COMMUNITY
Harnessing the Wealth of Our Community
Economics is without a doubt one of
the areas closest to the heart of the Malaysian Chinese, and rightfully so,
because it is the engine that drives every other sphere in society. It is to
the credit and foresight of our past and present Prime Ministers that we have
attained a measure of success in balancing economic priorities with the
realities attached to governing a multi-ethnic nation like Malaysia allowing
the community to develop quickly and maintain racial unity.
However, there are still many
challenges that the Malaysian Chinese community will face in the coming
decades.
• Absence of a Social Safety Net
One that looms large is the absence
of a social safety net for our people especially as many of them reach
retirement age. The Malaysian Chinese working class depends primarily on the
Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to provide for their retirement years. However,
a study by the EPF estimates that the lifetime savings on retirement at 55
years can only provide sustenance for a period of 4 - 5 years on average. We
must recognise that the Chinese Community is ageing fast and the birth-rate is
steadily declining resulting in fewer children within the family that can
support elderly parents and grandparents. Statistically, we also have the
longest lifespan amongst the various races in the country. Today, Malaysian
Chinese men have an average life span of 76 years and our women live to an
average of 78 years, a phenomenon called the silvering of society. New problems
will arise as it has in other ageing countries such as Japan and the USA. The older
we get the more illnesses we suffer from. It is estimated that in the USA half
of a person’s lifetime medical expenditure is spent in the last two years of
life.
How do we sustain an ageing
population with good health services and standards of living in the estimated
20 or so remaining years after retirement?
Unless this is addressed many of our
working class retirees will income-wise be living in near poverty unless there
is family support. For the Bumiputeras there are mechanisms in place in addition
to the EPF. For Government pensioners there is a lifetime pension and
healthcare scheme for them and their dependents. Secondly, there are
institutions like the Amanah Saham Negara and the Amanah Saham Bumiputera that
provides much higher dividends than that of the EPF.
We will need to formulate new
solutions and introduce new investment schemes that will allow us to build a
more reliable SOCIAL SAFETY NET for our people! This safety net will provide
the enhanced sense of financial security necessary to free up and encourage our
people to venture into more high risk-return and entrepreneurial pursuits.
• Rapid Changes in the Global
Economy
Globalisation and the rise of
emerging and high growth markets the likes of China, India, and Vietnam;
coupled with new and rapidly changing face of technology have resulted have
opened up a whole new world of opportunities for us to take. Globalisation has
also resulted in changes in the competitive advantages of different countries
and the industries within them relative to each other.
How do we compete effectively in an
environment where cost effectiveness, efficiency, productivity and quality
concerns make all the difference between success and failure?
How do we create a new breed of
pioneering entrepreneurs that are willing to venture into high growth
industries of the future like the biotechnology sector?
Globalisation has also resulted in
the high geographical mobility that characterises today’s labour/ human
resource market. We find a rapidly rising number of Malaysians choosing to work
abroad because of higher pay and better prospects.
How do we prevent the outflow of our
best and brightest talents?
How do we adapt (and change) age-old
traditional mindsets such as the preference for family owned and controlled
business structures amongst the Chinese to face the challenges of
globalisation?
•Realising the Potential of our
SMI/SME
I must admit that this is one area
which is especially close to my heart. This is in no small part due to the fact
that by far, a large proportion of the Chinese community is engaged one way or
another, in this area of the economy. It is a vibrant sector with its own
unique set of opportunities and challenges. Access to funding and finance,
limited scope for operational expansion, inability to attract quality
professional expertise, lack of resources to compete with bigger players
coupled with limitations in networking are some of the areas that have posed
problems for the sector. Yet at the same time, its potential to flourish and prosper
is limitless with the right policies, programmes and incentives in place.
Economic Master Plan for The Chinese
Community Towards 2020 and Beyond
I believe that the challenges
outlined previously can only be addressed by the formulation of a comprehensive
Economic Masterplan for our community within the wider aspirations and goals of
Vision 2020 - a vision that will propel our country to developed nation status.
We as a Party must believe and support this vision by working towards its
realisation. In this we must learn from our Bumiputera brothers. They have the
New Economic Policy, an economic blueprint and other policies for their
community that supports and complements Vision 2020. Currently, some say the
Party adopts an ad hoc approach because it lacks a uniform and systematic plan
in addressing the areas and issues faced by the community. Such a patchwork
approach can never provide any meaningful directions let alone harness the true
potential of the resources, both human and capital, at our disposal. This
Master Plan can only be produced after much careful study, consultation and
dialogue with the different segments of the community; locally and
internationally.
I intend to formulate this
Masterplan that will serve the Party and the community within 1 year of being
elected to the Presidency. I will formulate and plan this together with the
community, NGOs and the best and brightest of our people from within the
country and abroad.
Some of the contents and issues that
the Master Plan will have to address are:
• Measures to Enhance Social
Security
The MCA must look to alternate
source of funds that will help to build this Social Safety Net. As mentioned,
our Bumiputera brothers have institutions that alleviate the dependence of
their community upon the EPF alone. The Malaysian Chinese must look towards
emulating these institutions if we are to undertake this massive project of
providing for the welfare of our community.
• Positioning and Supporting Local
Businesses to Capitalise on Global Opportunities
In an era where information has never been so crucial to economic and business
success, people need to be informed and educated of the importance of areas
like the necessity for knowledge based society and economy (K-Economy) if they
are to successfully compete in the global arena. MCA must take the lead in
creating education resources for our local businesses that will allow them to
further build and grow. We must create a Global Information Database that will
network our businesses with businesses in other countries. I have over the
years been in touch with different countries and they are prepared to share
their databases with us. The latest is FICCI and CII of India, two national
Chambers of Commerce representing 250,000 organisations and members. Others are
Taiwan, Hong Kong, China. I will capitalise on these connections in order to
support our local businesses.
• Harnessing the Potential of the
Small Medium Enterprises / Industries (SME / SMI) Sector
The SMI Bureau of the MCA must be at
the forefront of coordinating our efforts in this area. I will personally look
towards heading more trade delegations to other countries with the purpose of
promoting our SME/SMIs. I believe that coordinated effort with current
Government initiatives will allow these companies to compete globally.
• The role that MCA’s Economic
Entity (Huaren Holdings) can play in this Master Plan
I believe that the Economic Entity
of MCA, Huaren Holdings, can play a very strategic role in the Master Plan for
the Chinese community. Managed well, with the proper constitutional structures
in place that will make it openly accountable, Huaren Holdings can help fund
many of the social projects that the MCA will undertake to increase the
wellbeing of the Malaysian Chinese.
A Strong Economic Entity to Support
the Malaysian Chinese Community
The Party has come a long way since
the collapse of its ambitious corporatisation drive in the late 80’s through
the MPHB saga. Today, that economic legacy continues through Huaren Holdings,
the Party’s official investment arm. It controls the highly profitable Star
Publications Bhd., the nation’s largest circulating newspaper. Since the sale
of MPHB, Star Publications remains the only truly profitable entity in the
MCA’s small stable of companies.
I believe that we need to move
beyond the stigma of past failure if we are to harness the true potential of
our economic entity. Instead we ought to learn from the mistakes of the past
and reposition the Party and Community for the future. Much has changed since the
70’s and 80’s. As mentioned earlier, the often tense communal politics of the
yesteryears are today largely a relic of the past. We are the proud
beneficiaries of a political system that places unshakeable emphasis on
national unity, prosperity and economic opportunity for all communities. We are
the Wawasan 2020 generation! Therefore, we need to reposition our future
business and investment endeavours in the true spirit of goodwill, brotherhood
and nation building. We need to go back to the original objectives of community
welfare set by the founding fathers of the Party. We need to change the image
and perception of Huaren Holdings from that of an ethnically backed and
motivated economic entity into a truly modern corporate star performer that
will benefit not just the Chinese community, but the nation as a whole!
Operationally and strategically,
this Economic Entity will be modelled after reputable, well run and proven
Government-linked corporations (GLC’s) like Temasek and PNB. It shall possess,
at the very minimum, the following characteristics:
• All entities in the grouping are
to be run and managed exclusively by professionally employed corporate
executives recruited from the best of our people here and abroad. There will be
a general policy of political non-interference in management decisions. The
Board of Directors will comprise of business people and other personalities
held in high public esteem.
• Measures will be introduced to
enhance corporate transparency and accountability in all areas of business. For
example, an across-the-board open tender system for the award of contracts must
be instituted with processes that safeguard the interests of investors. There
must be clear built-in safeguards to ensure that no person or group however
powerful can misuse the assets of this Economic Entity for their own personal
benefits.
• Profit and performance oriented.
There will be a proper system of
business portfolio management which entails:
1. Investing in profitable and
high-growth potential business concerns whether listed or private, local or
foreign;
2. Unlocking value of profitable
companies through listing etc;
3. Involvement in the regional
market of China, ASEAN and India
• Substantial portion of
non-reinvestment profits generated shall be used for BENEVOLENT PURPOSES and
are to be channelled back to fund community projects approved under the various
Master Plans. These include areas such as support for SJKCs, Independent
Chinese Schools, training programs, scholarships and bursaries for the poorer
and especially outstanding students, supporting the poor, elderly, disabled,
orphans, single mothers and the sick who have no support.
• Party leaders especially
Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and State Excos through
their influence in Government will have to contribute to the growth and success
of this economic entity.
• We will have to consider giving
recognition to Party leaders on retirement who have contributed substantially
during their political tenures. For example when they retire from active
politics they may receive benefits like gratuities and lifetime healthcare
benefits.
CONCLUSION
While not exhaustive, these are
issues and areas where I know the MCA can provide proactive and meaningful
direction and leadership for the betterment of the people we represent.
I stand as a candidate for the
Presidency of MCA with a vision to overcome these challenges. I believe my
almost one decade experience at the helm of the Health Ministry and prior to
that as Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry will stand me in
good stead to serve the community in this crucial area.
A VISION OF EDUCATIONAL
EXCELLENCE FOR OUR YOUTH
Educating our community for the 21st Century
Malaysia is one of the most successful amongst developing nations in the
provision and development of education at all levels. For example, we now
have as many universities as Australia and certainly many more colleges.
Education is increasingly universal, as a result of which there has been a
rapid expansion in the number of our middle class. We recognise the huge
resources the government has invested into this sector and the Party should
continue to support the efforts of the Prime Minister and both the Minister
of Education and the Minister of Higher Education.
However there is a saying "Do
not make the good the enemy of the Best". In short, we need to
continually strive for excellence.
Set out below are some of my
thoughts on the subject of education for our community.
Education for the Knowledge
Economy
For the Malaysian Chinese, the
importance of educational and academic excellence has always been one of the
hallmark traits of our culture and community. However, the challenges
presented by the new millennium necessitate a re-thinking of the way we view
and educate our children. Today’s global knowledge economy requires the
creation of a knowledge-based society. The workforce of today is no longer
just ‘manual or physical’ labour working at the behest of the greater mind of
the employer. They ARE the MINDS of the business, ‘selling’ their knowledge
to the companies and organisations that hire them. Therefore it is no longer
sufficient for our children to know ‘how things operate’; they must now be
trained to think on ‘how to operate things better’. Their minds must be
trained to explore, to adapt and be creative, as well as to continually learn
and grow in a dynamic global environment of continuous and rapid change. As
it is there are certain areas of concern that we, as a community, must
address before the vision of a knowledge based society can be realised.
Transforming Our Mindset
I believe that what the Malaysian Chinese community critically needs today is
a changing of mindsets towards the way we view and think about the education
system in our community. We cannot afford to look at education solely through
the narrow lenses of our community in isolation, but through those of the
broader world perspective. We must recognise that the current methods of
education employed today may be insufficient to equip our children to meet
the challenges of the future. There must be a renewal of ideas and teaching
methods in the Chinese medium education system. For instance, we need to be
sensitive to the fact that academic intelligence is only one form of human
intelligence. Psychologists have identified at least some 7 more forms of
intelligence such as emotional intelligence, creative intelligence, artistic
intelligence etc. Each one is important to the renewal and reinvigoration of
our society. Not every one is academically strong nor should those that are
sound academically deny themselves the fullest use of the other faculties of
intelligence. For if nurtured, it will create an all-rounded community of
poets, writers, scientists, engineers, painters, architects, dancers,
athletes, musicians, teachers, philosophers, ecologists, craftsmen, skilled
technicians and many other professions that make our world more vibrant. In
short, our educational system should be one that capitalises on the
diversities of intelligences that make each and every one of us unique
individuals.
Harnessing the Power of Languages
I also believe in harnessing the
power of our spoken and written languages. Language is the medium in which
the knowledge of the world is acquired. As Malaysian Chinese we are uniquely
poised to capitalise on the economic emergence of China as well as the booming
overseas Chinese economies and networks through the usage of Mandarin. At the
same time we must also acknowledge the very real importance of English as the
single most important language for international communications and acquiring
knowledge today. Our government has recognised that we are in general
producing students that are mediocre in languages.
Educational Funding
Another vital area is the issue of educational funding for students and
schools. MCA-owned institutions of higher learning like TAR College, KOJADI
College of Technology and UTAR have served an important role in addressing
some of these problems. However, much more can be done to ensure that our
children have access to the very best education possible. Not all of our
families can afford to let their children have a good education. This is
where I believe a strong economic arm can play a crucial role in generating
the resources necessary to fund our community’s educational needs. We should
also look at ways to improve and upgrade our own centres of learning so that
we can begin to match the standards of the world’s best educational
institutions.
Secondary School Dropouts
Finally, we must also acknowledge
that we are seeing a significant and increasing number of high-school
dropouts from our community. These students are primarily from the vernacular
Chinese schools who encounter difficulty coping with the change in language
medium when they move on to national secondary schools. Unable to understand
what they are being taught, they become demoralised and disillusioned when it
shows in their poor results. We cannot afford to lose our youth. As every
seed has the potential to grow and become a flourishing plant, so every one
of our children has the potential to become a valued member of society.
Therefore we as a community and the MCA as its representative Party must
strive to improve the educational system of this nation so that not one of
our children gets left behind.
Education Master plan for the
Chinese Community Towards 2020 and Beyond
Give me two years to produce an
Education Master Plan for the Chinese Community. In drawing up this master
plan, we will take a holistic approach drawing on the collective wisdom and
ideas of a wide segment of our community, as well as ideas and inspirations
from abroad. We will work together with the Ministry of Education and the
Ministry of Higher Education during this process.
The following are some of the
areas we should address and potential solutions which we can adopt as part of
this Master Plan.
• Strengthening the Teaching of Mandarin
The Party must continue to improve
and encourage the study and usage of Mandarin in our schools. We will
undertake greater cooperation with the authorities and academics in China to
help us in this endeavour. Malaysia and China’s bilateral relations have
developed at a remarkable speed. Good Mandarin speaking Malaysians including
amongst the Bumiputeras will further strengthen the communications between
our nations and industries.
• Safeguarding the Right to Mother Tongue Education
We have to safeguard the right to
mother tongue education in line with one of the founding goals of our Party.
We will continue striving in the sphere of BN, to relocate, expand and
increase the number of Chinese primary schools. We will persevere and lobby
for more government grants for these schools. We will also be steadfast in
our goal to see that these schools are staffed with sufficient numbers of
qualified teachers.
• Helping to Upgrade the 60 Independent Secondary Chinese Schools
We have to work together with the
Chinese educationists to strengthen the system of education in the 60
secondary Independent Chinese schools and to provide the support to them in
expanding networks in countries like China and India to make available affordable
higher education for these students. Particular attention must be paid to
establishing stronger links with more premier Chinese and Indian universities
to take in the best of our students in fields in which these universities
excel in.
• A Programme to Upgrade English
in Chinese Schools
To enable the transition into the
knowledge-based society and economy, we will have to upgrade the spoken and
written skills of our students in the English language. The English language
is undeniably the single most important language of communication and
knowledge in the world. As an example the Life College of which I am Chairman
of the Board, a not for profit college, has sent its CEO to China to study a
program for the teaching of English outside of the normal school curriculum.
This program was developed by a group of dedicated academics and social
workers, many trained in the West, who drew up this program to help their
youth upgrade their command of the English language. Over the last few years
it has produced thousands of teachers from rural and urban schools trained in
this method. Their success has been convincing and I have already spoken with
their leaders and they are prepared to share their expertise with us. We can
source this program to help our SJKC’s and Independent Chinese schools in SJK
schools.
• Vocation Specific Schools and
Colleges
Our newly revamped economic arm
can invest in private institutions of learning such as private colleges which
are vocation specific such as Nursing and allied health colleges, Design and
Arts colleges, Business Schools (offering post-graduate courses like MBA,
Masters of Finance etc) and other similar institutions. Such institutions
will complement our existing institutions like TAR College and UTAR by
offering courses at subsidised fees. This is why an economically strong
business arm for the Party is so important. Furthermore, with a strong
profitable economic arm we can significantly increase the number of
scholarships or bursaries available to students that will enable them to
study at renowned institutions worldwide.
• Developing Creative and Lateral
Thinkers
We will work with the Education Ministry for the introduction and inclusion
of modules within and outside the school curriculum that will help and
encourage students to become analytical, critical, creative and innovative
lateral thinkers. The Chinese word for learning "xue wen" literally
means, "Learn" and "Ask". Our students must never be
afraid to ask questions and always be actively seeking answers. As it is we
are producing students who depend too much on rote learning and memory
skills.
• Training the Trainers
We will need to develop a
comprehensive program to train and equip our educators i.e. teachers, PIBG,
and School Boards. It is vitally important that the people responsible for
our children’s education are themselves thoroughly equipped and able to
provide the very best ideas and values to their teaching methods.
• Arresting the Dropout Rate
We have to formulate measures to
remedy the unacceptably high level of dropout rates of our schools. If left
unaddressed, this can contribute to the growth of social ills within our
community - gangsterism, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, prostitution, etc. We
have to help our youths overcome the present weaknesses within our system. We
also need to be sensitive to the fact that academic intelligence is only one
form of human intelligence. We have to train our teachers to be sensitive to
the other forms of intelligence that our youths possess.
• New Areas of Knowledge
We must formulate policies to
encourage our students to venture into new and emerging areas of study like
biotechnology, biosciences, agro-technology, and ICT instead of
over-focussing on disciplines popular in the past and present like law,
medicine and engineering.
• Promoting Postgraduate Studies
We need to produce more
postgraduates i.e. Masters and PhD holders, especially in the fields directly
related to the knowledge economy such as the Sciences and Technology. As a
political Party we will have to convince the government that more funds be
provided for post-graduate education especially in good universities in the
world for all races if we are to achieve our aspiration to develop a truly
knowledge based economy.
• Learning from the Best
We must recognise that China has
been transforming its education system from bottom to top over the last ten
years with many successes. We have to learn from the best in the world,
including China, and supplement the many efforts and resources our Government
has invested into the education of our youth.
• Identifying and Nurturing
Creativity
We need to give a fair amount of
attention to the development of our children’s creative and artistic
intelligences. In order to encourage this aspect of our youth’s development, I
will propose to the community the idea of setting up a Malaysian Chinese
Culture and Arts Academy. The Academy will draw our most talented and
creative individuals to express their ideas visually, literally and
artistically in a conducive environment.
• Character Building
Education must provide for
character building. Our students will become future members and leaders of
the community. We need to inculcate in them values of integrity and honesty
so that in future our partners in the rest of the world will say that it is
good to deal with the Malaysian Chinese because they are men of character!
CONCLUSION
It is my sincerest hope that I will be given the privilege and opportunity,
as President of the MCA, to help bring about the reforms necessary to raise
the educational standards of the Chinese community to be on par with the best
of the world!
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NEW POLITICS
MCA - Politically Relevent in the 21st Century
Demographically in 2004 the
Malaysian Chinese only make up 25.4% of the population compared to 28.1% in
1991, whilst the Bumiputeras are 65.7% in 2004 compared to 60.6% in 1991. In a
period of 13 years the Bumiputera population increased by about 5.0% while the
Malaysian Chinese population decreased by 2.7%. If this trend continues and
bearing in mind that the Bumiputera annual population growth rate is much
higher than the Chinese it would not be surprising that by 2020 the Bumiputera
community will increase to well over 70% or more and the Chinese will decline
to about 20%. A significant percentage in our population’s decline is due to
the large number of our families emigrating overseas. We have to stop the
outward migration of the Chinese community started in the `70s. The vast
majority of these families emigrate because they feel that their economic and
children’s educational opportunities lie overseas. The Economic and Education
blueprints must address these issues. Furthermore as the representative Party
we must assure them that we do indeed hear their voices and they are truly
equal and valued citizens of this country.
We as a Party must also ask ourselves
- does the Chinese Community support us because they honour and respect us as
their Party and their leaders, or do they vote for us because we come under the
banner of the BN? As long as the BN Government promote policies that are seen
to be fair and liberal they will support the BN. Can we develop the Party to
that level where they will support us throughout the country on our own rights
and merit? If we can do this then our members can live within the community
with their heads held high. We can then expect more widespread support for our
candidates in every General Election. We will win not only because of the BN
but also because of our own merit! Then the Party will be able to contribute in
a more meaningful and positive way to the continued victory of the BN.
Political Master Plan for The
Chinese Community Towards 2020 and Beyond
I propose to establish a high
powered committee on Political Renewal for the MCA which will draw from the
ranks of our political elders, Party leaders and political scientists to advise
the Party on a new political culture and direction for the 21st century. The
Party is now 56 years old. In the past 20 years alone the world has undergone
great changes. Many political parties in the world have disappeared while
others have begun to change, to reorientate, to propose new political direction
and goals to accommodate these changes. MCA must do the same lest we become
irrelevant.
The following are some of the contents that the committee will address as part
of this political blueprint for this century.
• Defining Core Values for MCA
A political Party must have clear,
unequivocal core values and direction. Without them it will not be able to
focus and consolidate its strengths and efficiently direct them towards the
achievement of stated goals. Under these circumstances, destructive factional
fights quickly spreads, and if violence and coercion also become involved, the
Party can be eventually destroyed. Some of the necessary values for a political
Party to possess are: love and care for their people, fairness, justice,
integrity, discipline, courage in their convictions and tolerance for different
opinions.
• Clean, Committed and Capable
Leadership
Our Prime Minister has provided
strategies and policies that are truly people-centered. The MCA must stand
together with him on this call. Our people have every right to demand the
highest integrity from their political leaders. The Malaysian Chinese community
will respect and support us as a Party when they see us as possessing the 3 Cs
- Clean, Committed and Capable.
• MCA and the Community, Fish and
Water: Leadership through Vision
To overcome our community’s
disinterest and disenchantment with the political process we must begin to
transform our Party increasingly and clearly to a nation and community-centered
system. We must never forget that the MCA is to the Malaysian Chinese community
and the nation as the fish is to the water. The fish cannot exist without the
water, but the water can exist without the fish. The people’s welfare must
truly come first and our words, programmes and actions must never be merely
symbolic but always serving the greater interests of our nation. The Party must
be seen to be leaders of the community through clear vision presented by Master
Plans for Politics, Education, Economics and Culture.
• Engaging Our Youth
With an ageing trend in our Party,
we must question our relevance to the youths of our community. If we do not
engage the youth we will find that the MCA will lose its influence within the
community in the future. We must begin to understand them better and ask about
the ideals that they hold. They are the key to our country’s future. Our Party
must tap into their hopes and dreams so that we will be better able to provide
a political foundation for them that they will be willing to contribute
towards. They will be a key voice that I will seek in the creation of our
Economic, Education and Political Master Plan.
• Integrity of the Party Membership
List
Measures will need to be taken to
ensure the integrity of the Party’s membership list.
• A New Disciplinary Committee
Here we will have to emulate UMNO.
Members of the Disciplinary Committee will be appointed from the ranks of our
party elders who are no longer in active politics and will therefore have no
conflict of interest.
• Harvesting the Ideas and
Experience of our Seniors
We will invoke the provisions of
Article 50 of the Party’s Constitution and establish the MCA’s Council of
Elders. I strongly believe that our seniors who are no longer in active
politics will be able to help and advise the President and the Party on the new
Master Plans and projects that we will undertake.
CONCLUSION
MCA needs to build a new vision, new
goals and to formulate plans to achieve them. These plans must be based on
clear core values in order to win Party members’ and the public’s support.
The Party must be respected and be
driven by high ideals and objectives if we are to become relevant to the
increasing numbers of Malaysian Chinese middle class. They are increasingly
affluent, educated and critical. If we are to reenergize and catalyse our Party
in the 21st century then we need to be transformed into a Party that has
dignity, ideals and high ambitions for the people. In short a Party that can be
respected.
I stand before you as a Presidential
candidate with a promise to transform us into a Party that will always have a
strong and influential voice in the halls of power long after we are gone!
For the sake of our children and grandchildren
we need to undergo this process of dynamic change. Are we prepared to do so?
You decide!
NEW POLITICS * NEW VISION * NEW MCA
Executive Summary
I stand before you as a candidate
for the Presidency of the Malaysian Chinese Association with a vision to set
new directions for our community within the wider aspirations and goals of
Vision 2020, a Vision for a developed Malaysian Nation that I fully support. In
fact I shall call for a National Conference for the community, the theme being
"Vision 2020 - The Contribution of the Malaysian Chinese". I will
hold a nationwide dialogue with our people as I create Master Plans that will
impact our policies in areas of politics, economics, education and culture.
These Master Plans will secure the
future of our community for decades to come ensuring that the voice of the
Malaysian Chinese Community will always be heard in the corridors of power and
that we will always be valued partners in the making of the Malaysian dream.
Outlined below are the platforms
that I stand on as I present my case for the Presidency.
New Politics
It is my intention to breathe new
life and fresh ideas that will rejuvenate the party, ideas that will continue
to make our party relevant and therefore electable in the 21st century.
The Political Master Plan for the
Malaysian Chinese Community
will encompass the following:
• Defining the Core Values for MCA
• Raising up Clean, Committed and
Capable Leaders
• Maintaining Leadership of the
Malaysian Chinese Community
• Engaging the Youth of our
Community
• Ensuring the Integrity of the
Party Membership List
• Restructuring the Disciplinary
Committee
• Harvesting the Ideas and
Experience of our Seniors
This Master Plan will define us as a
party and give succeeding generations of leaders a foundation to build upon.
Elect me to the Presidency and I
will develop this Master Plan in 1 year that will chart the political future of
the MCA!
An Economic Vision for the Malaysian Chinese Community
The Malaysian Chinese Community
needs a Social Safety Net that will give them access to a higher quality of
life. This can only occur in the presence of a strong economy and well-funded
institutions.
It is my vision that the MCA, as the
representative party of the Malaysian Chinese, will take steps to ensure that
our Community plays an influential role in the growth of our nation’s economy
that will then allow us to fund our social security projects.
The Economic Master Plan for the
Malaysian Chinese Community will seek to provide the following:
• Measures to Enhance Social
Security for the Malaysian Chinese
• Positioning and Supporting Local
Businesses to Capitalise on Global Opportunities
• Harnessing the Potential of the
Small Medium Enterprises / Industries ( SME / SMI ) Sector
• The role that MCA’s Economic
Entity (Huaren Holdings) can play in this Master Plan
I also envision the creation of a
strong economic entity that the MCA can use as a vehicle to support our
projects within the Malaysian Chinese Community. We have in Huaren Holdings the
seed for that economic entity.
Though linked to the MCA, measures
and principles will be put in place that will guarantee the corporate
transparency and accountability of this entity. It will be primarily profit and
performance oriented as every successful company must be. However, a
substantial portion of its profits will be channeled back into the community
via the funding of social projects like the supporting of SJKCs, Independent
Chinese Schools, scholarships and aid for the less fortunate.
Entrust me with the Presidency and I
will formulate the Economic Master Plan in 1 year that will help to secure the
economic future of the Malaysian Chinese!
A Vision of Educational Excellence
for our Youth
Malaysia’s education system is good;
we can make it better.
I believe that in the presence of
the new global economy and the rapid breakthroughs in science and technology we
as a community must transform the methods we have in educating and preparing
our young for the future.
The Education Master Plan will address the following issues:
• Strengthening the Teaching of
Mandarin
• Safeguarding the Right to Mother Tongue Education
• Helping to Upgrade the 60 Independent Secondary Chinese Schools
• Upgrading the Level of English in Chinese Schools
• Creation of Vocation Specific Schools and Colleges
• Developing Creative and Lateral Thinkers
• Training Programs for our Educators
• Arresting the Increasing Drop Out Rate of our Children
• Accessing New Areas of Knowledge
• Learning to Educate from the Best
• Identifying and Nurturing Creativity
• Character Building
I envisage an education system that
will equip our children with the necessary skills to be major players and
contributors in the development of ideas and innovations throughout the world.
I aim to take MCA, as the guardian of the Malaysian Chinese Community, to the
forefront of this challenge. Grant me the authority of the Presidency and I
will create an Education Master Plan for the Malaysian Chinese Community in 2
years that will provide a strategic future for our children!
A Cultural Vision for the Malaysian
Chinese Community
I strongly believe that the culture
that defines our community is both unique and remarkable. It is therefore my
objective that our rich cultural heritage be preserved and continually
nurtured.
The Cultural Master Plan will
consider the following points and ideas:
• Establishment of the Malaysian
Chinese Culture and Arts and Academy
• Establishment of a National Malaysian Chinese Performing Arts Company
• Developing New Village Culture
It is my plan to make the MCA the
catalyst of the cultural identity of our community.
Bestow me the office of President of the MCA and
I will create a Cultural Master Plan within 2 years which will ensure that our
culture will remain strong and influential for generations to come!
TRACK RECORD OF DATO' CHUA JUI MENG
One Footstep, One Footprint
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1969
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May 13th in London. Immediate
impact. CJM (Chua Jui Meng) decided to enter politics to
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help bring unity to the races of
Malaysia.
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1970
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Elected President of the
Malaysian & Singaporean Law Society in U.K. and Eire.
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Editor in Chief of the
Federation of the UK and Eire Malaysian and Singaporean
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Students Organisation.
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Called to the British Bar as
Barrister-at-Law having worked my way to support
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my legal studies.
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1976
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Joined MCA.
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Participated and lost in Branch
elections in Muar.
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1978
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Elected Chairman of Tanjung
Branch, Muar Division.
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1984
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Chairman of the Muar MCA Save
the Party Committee.
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1986
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Contested and lost Muar MCA
Division elections.
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Elected MP for Bakri with
majority of 1,105
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1987
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Elected Chairman of the Bakri
MCA Division.
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1988
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2 hour speech in Parliament on
the MALAYSIAN CHINESE DILEMMA as a result of the
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deviations and misimplementation
of the New Economic Policy. As a result of this speech,
Government responded quickly and
sensitively by calling for the 1st National Economic
Consultative Council in 1989
-1990 of 150 representatives, half Bumiputras and half
non Bumiputras. The fruit of the
deliberations behind closed doors was the replacement of
the NEP with the National Development Policy 1990 -2000 -an era of
liberalisation in economies, education and culture. Chinese voter sentiment
changed in 1995, 1999 and 2004
from pro Opposition to pro Barisan Nasional.
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1989
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Appointed member of the 1st
NECC.
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1989
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Appointed Parliamentary
Secretary of the Ministry of Health.
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1990
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Elected 2nd VP of MCA.
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Reelected as MP for Bakri.
Majority increased to 3,111.
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DAP opponent: Lee Wan Chien
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1990
- 1995
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Appointed Deputy Minister of
International Trade and Industry.
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Main focus to promote and
develop the SMIs. Organised many workshops, seminars and
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national conferences on the
SMIs, providing necessary information to them on Government policies,
incentives, loan schemes and on how to develop their enterprises. Worked
closely
with the Associations representing the SMIs.
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1992
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Led a delegation with
journalists to China visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou,
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Guangzhou. At that time there
was little publicity on China and the Western news continued to portray
China as a backward communist country behind the Bamboo Curtain. Returned
home with positive reports on China urging Malaysians to engage China
especially in people to people relationship and for tourism, investment and
trade. Since then our bilateral trade and
investments and the people to
people including Government to Government relationship has developed by
leaps and bounds.
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1993
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Elected as 1st VP MCA - 2nd
term.
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1995
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Reelected as MP Bakri with
majority increasing to 12,318.
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1995
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Appointed Minister of Health and
was by 2004 the longest serving
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Minister of Health, Malaysia.
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1996
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Elected as 1st VP MCA - 3rd
term.
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1995
- 2004
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Record as Minister of Health.
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Transformed the Ministry from a
backwater Ministry into a Ministry that had a high public
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profile and recognized for its
openness to the people, for its dedication to the public and patients and
for its caring culture.
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Period of rapid expansion. Over
30 hospitals were built or upgraded during this period.
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New modern community polyclinics
were built. In the Klang Valley with a population of
over 4 million and growing, a network of new 21st Century fully electronic
modern hospitals were built - Selayang, Serdang, Putrajaya, Sungai Buluh,
Ampang each being the centre for specific super specialization e.g.
Selayang for liver diseases and hand and micro surgery,
Serdang for heart diseases. New hospitals werebuilt throughout the country.
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Expansion of the numbers of
specialist hospitals to 42.
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Establishing new heart centers
or providing services in Johor Bahru, Penang, Kota Kinabalu
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(Sabah Medical Centre), Kuching
and Serdang. A new centre is being completed at the new Alor Setar General
Hospital.
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Establishing new cancer centres
at the new Sultan Ismail Hospital, Pandan and through the
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Sabah Medical Centre at Kota
Kinabalu.
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Change of attitudes and work
culture in MOST hospitals and clinics through the introduction
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and implementation through staff
training of the MinistryÕs Corporate Culture which comprises of:-
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a) caring in service b) working
professionally c) working as a team.
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The slogan of the campaign was
"A smile is therapeutic". This resulted in transforming our services
from one based on "Doctor Centered" to
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The philosophy of the Ministry
of Health became changed from a  where the people
and
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patients formed the broad base
of the pyramid with the health providers being the middle part of the
pyramid and Ministry senior officials and the Minister at the apex to a  where the
Minister, senior officials and the health providers exist to serve the
people and patients.
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Promotion and development of a
Malaysian traditional and complementary medicine sector.
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Incorporated umbrella bodies
representing the Chinese, Malay and Indian complementary
medicine practitioners. Development of a council, policies drafting of a
new Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill, obtaining approval for the
establishment of a new division to
oversee the development of this sector.
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Open door and transparency
policy. Encouraging our staff to undertake continuous dialogue
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with the NGOs, professional
bodies and the business community. 9 annual dialogues with the business
sector, NGOs and professional bodies. Policy of continuous dialogues by
divisions and departments throughout the year as and when required.
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Recognised Taiwan degrees in
Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry from 7 Taiwanese
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Universities.
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Allowed graduates from
universities in China to sit for the final year medical examination in
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Malaysia and on passing they
would be eligible to practise medicine in this country.
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Developed and promoted Malaysia
as the most advanced country in establishing fully electronic
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hospitals. Initiated
telemedicine in our hospitals.
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Fought 4 new disease outbreaks
caused by "NEW VIRUSES"
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i)
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The "Cocksackie
Outbreak" which started in Sarawak and spreaded to the Peninsular.
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ii)
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Nipah/JE. The nipah was a new
virus which started amongst pigs and then spread to humans
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working in the pig industry. WHO praised Malaysia's
efforts in fighting and stopping this disease.
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iii)
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The SARS epidemic again caused
by a NEW VIRUS. The Ministry of Health committed
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10,000 staff to contain this
dreaded virus and successfully fought it so that there was not one single
case of local transmission of the disease in Malaysia. At the request of
Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi we convened the historic first ever Ministers of
Health of Asean + 3 meeting on SARS in Kuala Lumpur within 5 days with the
intention of coordinating regional efforts in fighting this epidemic which
claimed 8,000 lives and brought tourism almost to a halt.
The WHO recognized Malaysia's efforts and held its Global Scientific
Conference on SARS in Malaysia. This was WHO's first ever global conference
on a disease outbreak.
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iv)
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As a result of our experiences
we came up with a publication - an institutionalized memory of
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Malaysia's method in fighting
epidemics against invisible enemies - the viruses.
This publication will be the benchmark for fighting future epidemics.
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Established a network of high
level laboratories for the containment and identification of new
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viruses and other microbes.
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1998
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During the economic crisis our
SMIs were facing a credit crunch. The Ministry of Finance
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established an SMI Fund to help
our SMIs. Chinese SMIs however faced was only for Bumiputras. CJM, then the
Chairman of the MCA's Trade & Industry (including SMIs) Bureau,
organized a meeting with the Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce &
Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) and the Federation of Chinese Associations
Malaysia (Hua Zhong) and organized a dialogue session within 5 days chaired
by our Party's President, Dato' Seri Ling Leong Sik, with the then Minister
of Finance, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 1,000 Chinese businessmen attended.
The dialogue was a success because at the end of it the Minister announced
that the SMI Fund was opened to all races and settled other problems
at the same time.
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As a result of this cooperation
NASMIC (National SMI Consultative Centre) was formed with
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CJM as Chairman.
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Since then it has organized
numerous seminars, conferences and trade shows including the 1st,
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2nd and 3rd Malaysia China
Economic Conference, the Knowledge Economy Conference and the 1st Malaysia
India Economic Conference. Each conference had a participation rate of
2,500.
The Conferences resulted in much greater interest on the part of Malaysian
businessmen towards doing business with China and India, two of the world's
biggest emerging consumer markets.
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1999
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Reelected for the 4th term as
MCA's 2nd VP.
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Reelected as MP for Bakri with
an increased majority of 13,360.
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2002
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Peace Plan. 5th term as MCA VP.
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2004
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Reelected as MP for Bakri with
an increased majority of 19,059
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Not recommended after the
General Elections for ministership by the Party's President.
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Began the 15 months period of
SILENCE.
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2005
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1/7/05 - Announced after careful
consideration his candidature for the MCA's Presidency.
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IT WAS most
unfortunate that the majority of MCA central delegates rejected my vision for
the party as outlined in my presidential election manifesto in 2005.