KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong today urged the government to continue preserving and upholding the rights to freedom of speech for Malaysians.
In his policy speech at the party’s 71st annual general assembly today, Wee said that despite differences in opinion, the flourishing of democracy must never be destroyed.
He also urged Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was present at the assembly, to relay this call to the relevant authorities to ensure that democracy in the country remains vibrant.
“Even in this hall, many have had their videos removed from social media, such as MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon. Many MCA youth leaders have also faced the same issue.
“The rights to free speech and freedom of the people must be preserved and defended. We must not allow differences in views to destroy the flourishing of democracy,” he said.
Also present were BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon and MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan.
Meanwhile, Wee said MCA would support any bill that serves the best interest of the country and is brought to Parliament for approval.
However, he cautioned that the Mufti Bill (Federal Territories) 2024, set to be tabled for the second reading in the ongoing Dewan Rakyat session, must consider the views of all communities, including MCA, even though the party has no representation in the Cabinet.
“…we must ensure that the perspectives of all ethnic groups are heard. This includes political parties and non-Muslim communities, such as the Chinese.
“MCA has recently made its stance clear, and we hope these concerns will be taken into account before the bill is tabled and passed.”
“It is now up to the Cabinet and the government to uphold the values we have long cherished, ensuring that any bill that becomes law in the future does not harm our communities,” he added.
As such, Wee urged the government to thoroughly review any provisions in the bill before it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.
On a separate issue, Wee appealed to Ahmad Zahid to persuade Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to grant permanent tax-exempt status to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and the UTAR Education Foundation (UTAREF) under sections 44(6) and 127(3A) of the Income Tax Act 1967.
He said although Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, had previously granted a tax exemption to UTAR and waived RM83 million in taxes and penalties, the core issue remains unresolved.
“…MCA and UTAR will meet with the prime minister to find a permanent solution once and for all,” he said.
Last Sunday, Anwar was reported to have announced the RM83 million tax exemption for UTAR, citing that the university needed time to separate its commercial business ventures from its educational operations.
