A 'Wee' bit too late

Datuk Wee Ka Siong's (pic) fiery tirade against UMNO may have turned some heads yesterday, but whether the MCA deputy presidential hopeful has made any headway, politically, is another matter.

Wee's latest statements has neither gained him more support from the MCA delegates nor the Chinese community at large, political analyst Khoo Kay Peng opined.

"That 'magic' of just being outspoken is over. It does not work. Not for MCA, their supporters or the Chinese community. Nothing is felt at this particular period," he said.

Khoo said similar statements were also made by former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat in 2008 but it did not help the veteran MCA leader be in power either.

"Even Gerakan in its recent AGM was talking about considering leaving the BN, but what does it amount to?

"MCA today is still too fractional and the leaders seem neither here nor there. Their statements contradict. They need to dig really deep into their heels and decide how they can truly influence policy change and governance," he said.

Khoo said it was telling that Wee, despite being a former deputy minister in the BN government, has now resort to "being vocal".

"It's really a little too late. If Wee had been in the government but was unable to influence the decisions, then it's not going to work speaking up in the party meetings, is it? This will just infuriate UMNO and Malay supporters, who had helped MCA win their seven parliamentary seats and 11 state seats."

Khoo said MCA's attempt at chastising UMNO paled in comparison with the Opposition's rhetoric.

"They can't do it better than DAP or PKR, because people would believe Pakatan Rakyat when they say it," he said.

Yesterday, at the MCA Youth annual general meeting, Wee vented against UMNO, condemning the senior BN partner for alleged racism and blaming and punishing the Chinese for the 13th General Election results.

Wee warned UMNO that if it continued with irresponsible and 'extreme' statements, it may well lose not just the Chinese but all non-Malay votes, and this would spell doom for BN.

The Ayer Hitam MP also spoke about rising cost of living that has made the electorate felt 'betrayed' by the Government, calling for several measures to assist the lower and middle income groups, including lowering the 6% Goods and Services Tax rate to 4%.