Bring Back Our Independence

There has been talk recently in the press and openly amongst many of my friends that the best thing Chinese based parties can do is to pull out of the national government and gives its support to the opposition to effect a transition of power that will be a "Second Independence".

While talking to a friend last week (or rather a week and a half ago), I was told that the MCA is a servant party and has always been a servant party since the beginning of the relationship between UMNO and MCA. It was said that this is reflected in the 'servant' ministries allocated to the MCA - ministries of transport, health, human resources, women & family planning - even local government. Nothing important like Defense, Finance or International Trade, always reserved for UMNO. This has been echoed by other friends and family.

I feel the need to set the record straight. The initial MCA-UMNO relationship is not that of servant-master but of equal partners. I want to share a vital piece of the puzzle - that the birth of our nation was almost a stillbirth - one that was prevented because the Malays of UMNO and the Chinese of MCA later with the Indians of MIC came together to fight for independence.

Back then, prior to independence and the existence of the MCA-UMNO Alliance, the major parties of the MCA, UMNO and the IMP (Independence of Malaya Party, a multi-racial party) each pushes its own agenda, often in conflict with one another. UMNO has its motto, Hidup Melayu! (Long Live the Malays!) much to the discomfort of the Chinese in Malaysia.

The first test of achieving self-governance leading to independence was in Kuala Lumpur. In 1952, Kuala Lumpur held its Municipal Elections. There were 12 seats that was contested and the vote was expected to be fragmented between UMNO, MCA and the IMP with no one party able to govern with a solid majority. This is because at that time, Kuala Lumpur is a Chinese majority area. UMNO, the largest Malay party at the time, decided to field 6 candidates and the MCA in response, urged it to field a multi-racial slate. Negotiations and contacts between the two parties gave birth to a MCA-UMNO alliance, as equal partners. As a result, the combined MCA-UMNO Alliance gained 9 out of the 12 seats. An MCA member was given the honour to being the Alliance leader in the council. UMNO, under Tunku changed its motto to Merdeka! (Independence!).

This Alliance (together with the MIC which joined later in 1952), using the formula formed under the Municipal Elections, went on to win election after election, culminating in winning 51 out of 52 seats in the 1st National Elections in 1955 - forming a strong united government that could demand and gained independence in 1957, a mere 2 years after the national elections and a mere 5 years after the formation of the Alliance.

The first cabinet post-independence is as follows:-

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra -- Prime Minister, Defence, Foreign Affairs
Tun Abdul Razak Hussein -- Deputy Prime Minister, Defence (1958)
Abdul Aziz Ishak -- Agriculture and Cooperative
Tun Dr Ismail Datuk Abdul Rahman -- Trade and Security
Tun Henry Lee Hau Shik -- Finance
Tun Omar Yoke Lin Ong -- Labour and Social Welfare
Tun V.T. Sambanthan -- Health
Tan Sri Haji Sardon Jubir -- Works, Posts and Telecoms
Datuk Suleiman Datuk Abdul Rahman -- Natural Resources and Local Government
Abdul Rahman Talib -- Transport (1958)
Tun Leong Yew Koh -- Justice (1960)
Tan Sri Mohamad Khir Johari -- Education (1958)
Tun Tan Siew Sin -- Trade and Industry (1958), Finance (1960)

This composition reflect a relationship of equal partners not of master and servant! MCA was awarded the important ministries of Finance, Trade & Industry amongst others. How come the MCA today is so different? so diffident?

Why is it today supremacists can scream Hidup Melayu! a slogan that has been discarded before independence? Why is it that the Chinese can be called 'squatters' when we are equal partners in the formation of this country? Essential in the first baby steps that lead to independence? It is my opinion that if MCA did not work with UMNO, there will be no independence in 1957 and we would be under the British yoke even until the 1980s (Brunei gained independence in 1984).

We are equal partners. We are friends, co-workers and neighbours - Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban and many others. We are a multi-racial society. Don't worry about the concept of a 'Second Independence' - Bring Back Our Independence!