Guangming Employee Punched by Umno, Slapped by MCA
Update: I wrote a letter version of this post to Malaysiakini. It’s similar but has added stuff. It’s pasted below.
I wrote yesterday wondering how MCA would respond to Guangming photographer Koh Chun Seng being punched by an Umno thug:
Today I am answered. I saw via Lulu that MCA’s spokespiece The Star carried no quotes from Mr. Koh or the organisers of the event being covered.
Instead they quoted a) Rocky’s successor at the National Union of Journalists, Norila Daud, who I think shames her predecessor, her profession, her union and herself by blaming the organisers. And b) The Umno chief of the area.
The poison that they wrote:
Cheras Umno head chief Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshi said that it was an accident.
He said DAP Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai had come with a few journalists to the front of the Cheras Recreational Centre, which housed the Yayasan Pendidikan Cheras and Cheras Umno office.
Syed Ali, who is also the foundation chairman, said an Umno member came out to ask why they were taking pictures of the building.
He claimed Tan then provoked the Umno members, who became upset and asked everyone to leave.
“It became tense and there was pushing and shoving. In the process, one of my people accidentally hit the photographer.”
Accidently? Accidently?
Let us take a closer look again:
Let us also take another closer look again at MCA VP Chua Soi Lek’s recent statement via Malaysiakini:
In the same China Press report, Chua, who is also MCA vice-president, urged Chinese voters not to take out their frustrations on Umno by voting for DAP.
He said many Chinese had the wrong perception that the government is a ‘Malay government’ and that a vote for DAP would represent the voice of the Chinese community.
“This (kind of perception) can cause ethnic tension and would lead to another May 13 (racial riot) incident,” he added.
Well, I think all hopes that supporting MCA will help defend the Chinese against violence from Umno ala May 13 just flew out the window my friend.
Don’t take out frustrations against Umno on MCA?
A Malaysian was punched in the face by an Umno guy. Incidentally, exactly the ‘type’ of Malaysian that you supposedly are so enthusiastic about ‘defending.’
And the only version you report is that it was an accident?!
So, when Umno guys really take to the streets and start beating up non-Malays, are you going to say that’s an accident too?
When the keris is drowned in blood, are you going to say it’s tomato sauce?
RPK recently wrote scathingly about how MCA should stop blaming the Malays for ruining the country (oh believe you me, that is what every single one of them fervently believes. No one secretly hates Malays more than MCA), when they themselves are perfectly content to be Umno running dogs.
You’d think that they’d be a bit more sensitive after something as widely read as that. But nope.
It’s proven then: MCA can’t defend jack shit. (And Gerakan, I know its fun to bash MCA, but I can’t say you guys are in any better shape)
That wouldn’t even be so bad. What’s worse is that they’re once again not only apologising for but patting on the back those who are assaulting people covering DAP events.
Not even DAP people yet, just a normal Malaysian trying to earn a living by doing his job at a DAP event.
I’m obviously not the kind of guy who expects much from MCA, but this, this is just disgusting.
My Malaysiakini letter:
Amidst consistent attempts to portray alternative political parties as unruly, we now see photographic proof positive of violence by an Umno member against Guangming Daily photographer Koh Chun Seng.
Shameful though this is, we’ve certainly come to expect this from Umno.
Yet just days after Chua Soi Lek saw fit to remind Malaysians not to take out their frustrations on Umno out on MCA, it was devastating to see how the MCA-owned Star newspaper spun the story to blame the victims and exonerate the perpetrator.
They quoted only the local Umno chief and National Union of Journalist president. The latter shamelessly blamed the organisers for ‘not providing security’, while the former said the incident was an ‘accident’.
An accident?
If Umno takes to the streets in violence like it did in Ijok, is the Star going to report it as accidental? (if they report it at all) When the keris is drowned in blood, will we read instead about tomato-soaked daggers?
No effort appeared to have been made to get a quote from either the victim or the organisers to hear their version of the story. At a time when both MCA and the mainstream media are struggling to maintain the remotest semblance of credibility, one might expected a bit more sensitivity.
Any race-based organisation should be categorically rejected in favour of one that advocates the rights of all Malaysians; but if the Malaysian Chinese Association itself cannot speak out to protect a Chinese individual from physical assault by Umno members, exactly what purpose does the party serve?
While MCA throws around the specter of May 13 every chance they get, is May 13 not happening again and again around us all, covertly and silently, while nothing is being done to stop it?
It’s not as if the photographer was an opposition supporter; he was just doing his job as an employee assigned to cover a DAP event, and for this he got a fist to the face. Does this merit the scorn shown by the Star report?
It is no longer a case of taking out frustrations of one against another. This case clearly shows that Umno and MCA are one and the same: one hand threatens and executes violence, the other provides cover and whitewashing in order to safeguard its own rice bowl.
MCA speaks relentlessly and emptily on ‘defending the rights of the community’. Will they not defend Koh Chun Seng? Or Universiti Putra Malaysia students like Lee Song Yong and Yee Yang Yang, who face constant harrassment from the university? Or will they cower under the keris of Umno, as they always have?
If MCA can’t even stand up and speak out for all Chinese, perhaps their supporters should abandon it for a party that is not only brave enough to step forward and defend the most basic of rights, but is willing to do so for all Malaysians.
Hi Nat,
Thanks for highlighting this, I am really speechless. I think most Malaysians knows who owns the Star now.
Added some writing.
An ” Accident ” to Press Freedom
Ethics, ethics, ethics. Lacking in Malaysia at all aspects. Real bad…..
[...] Nat says: [...]
Pls see my respond on http://jedyoong.wordpress.com/2007/11/19/punched-photographer-its-not-a-racial-thing/
Thanks.
sorry that’s response….tks.
Well,lets ensure MCA and the rest of the useless component parties of BN suffer their biggest defeat in this coming election so that this kind of barbarians are out of our society.
Make sure we vote BN out to defend ourselves from UMNO’s brutality.
“Make sure we vote BN out to defend ourselves from UMNO’s brutality.” - zhonghua
I would really like that too. But honestly, beating BN is almost impossible. I believe the possible thing to do is to deny them the 2/3 majority. Will be challenging though but in my opinion, possible.
For that to happen, I believe PKR DAP & PAS must contest under a single banner. DAP & PAS , especially must find that middle ground or else it will only be a short term gain.
The other thing about denying BN that 2/3 majority, the Opposition candidates must be incorruptible as cash … loads of with will be offered for some just to make that jump over. Money, especially lots of it can make a lot of stuff ‘possible’.
Chinese are basically tossed in Malaysia, whether you like to hear it or not.
My mom said she would rather die on the street in USA than live next door to MCA’s chief.
As yellow skin, I have the same privileged as my white skin American husband. I can applied for all kind of scholarship , business grant here. As a minority woman, I have more rights than a white American male. Talk about democracy.
Jamy
All I can say about MCA is that, those who bite the hands that feed them, will always lick the boots that kicked them!!!
Running dogs!
i say if the police are swift in their action(or any at all, correct me if I am wrong), the violence against the journalist would not have turned into a political or race bashing session. As it is I can’t help but look at it cynically.
We are really disapointed with MCA chief threathen against chinese who voted for opposition will be also courting for racial voilence. we all chinese are disapointed with the whole situation where economy, jobs,education,fair distribution, are concern. Since MCA is part of the govt and if the rakyat is disapointed with the govt, then we all has the right to vote out this govt. Simple as that and dont use racial voilence to treathen us cos everbody know that Umno is the most racialist party who even threaten MCA and MIC with the kriss during the UMNO assembly.
Very sad to note the kurang ajar UMNO Youth create the trouble.
Hmmm.. how ass-pro-pee-ate the mother of all traitors JED YOONG shows up here trying to defend a useless party that likes to lick their masters toes, jacked up from behind & tossed left overs for them to fight over. If you want to see DAP make changes then dare you to vote them and other oppossitions to rule Malaysia. Else be a running dog and go fetch your masters papers…..
MCA, will even sell their own mother. what is new? stupid kampong chinese will still vote for these shits.
i heard stories, that someone provoke them when they cha them in chinese language.
true or false, not too sure!
anyway, what they did was wrong! using force on others. police should have taken action against this people. more to road bully case.
1. Never count on MCA to support Chinese. They are all there for their own benefits. For Chua to have rekindled that kind of fear is a disgrace to all the Malaysian Chinese.
2. Stop subsrcibing to all news media that support BN.
3. Get all disgruntled citizens to register to vote.
4. Educate them on basic human rights, equal rights, illegal detentions, toll hikes, petrol hikes, price hikes, joblessness, unduly evictions, bribery, cronysm, so on….They are still a large number of kampung folks, villagers, people in estates and gardens that do not have the previledge of having or using a computer.
5. Never, never, never again vote for BN representatives even if you have to resort to voting a PAS member. Should not have fear in voting for PAS if contesting candidates are limited. BN has been given ample chances and they failed big time. A change is long overdue.
6. Keep the money they offer but NOT vote for them. If guilt is something you worry about, donate it to people who suffered from BN’s tyranny.
7. Do not promote or condone racial hatred. They are still majority of malaysians that are willing to work for common good.
8. Never engage in any physical or violant confrontations. BN will try very hard to provoke oppositions so as to discredit them. Don’t fall into the trap.
9. Request help from relatives, friends, and associates. Spread the word “Reformasi”
10. Set up a statergy to deny BN of 2/3 majority. Outsmart them with all the talents by tapping into a united force.
Readers are welcomed to add to this. I have since lost my voting right in Malaysia but I still have relatives and friends in Malaysia. This is the least I can offer. BTW, I am also an Engineer. No hard feeling, Politikus. Both of you, Nat and Politikus have caught my attention. I have recently been commenting on both of your posts.
May all good deeds surface and eradicate all evil actions for peace and harmony in Malaysia.
[...] Jelas: Guangming Employee Punched by Umno, Slapped by MCA [...]
UMNO is the MAFIA/Gangster. The coming G.E let us show them who is more powerfull. the UMNO or we malaysian.
May The force with Us
MCA, u f*8king dodnt defend tha poor guy who is trying to do his job, doesnt mean he work for the opposition( For Your Deaf Ears, THERE ISNT ANY VOICE FROM THE OPPOSITION IN THE MAINSTREAM BCOS OF YOUR DOGS-CONTROLLED MEDIA). Not only not defend and stand for the rights of human let alone you claimed to represent the Chinese( u r real shit) and condone the racial riots by the “ketuanan melayu’” political masters umNO DOGS and you run licking their ar$e$.
The vote is wise to be with the wise!!!
I can’t stand that Soi Lick guy. All he does is suck up and kiss UMNO’s stinkin @$$. All the time. Remember the Namewee incident? He got an apology from Wee’s family then says that Wee should be charged.
Now he takes a classic UMNO threat and uses it against his own people.
I pray for this guy. Everyday. Every single day. I pray that the Almighty will send angels to hit him and then [deleted].
The ultimate aim of all right thinking Malaysians must be to boot out the BN.
Whether it can be achieved in the short or long term is immaterial. Once the will is there, then marshal all forces to this end.
MCA is just propagandizing its own interest. What can MCA do? I was told by one of the YB secretary that we Chinese becoming Muslims are good. He said that we don’t have to worry so much. So, I appeal to the members of the public that MCA is a party that is under the leadership of UMNO and not by itself.
MCA the traitors of CHinese, please resign yourself. Don’t use May 13 to threaten the Chinese. Bastards like you won’t do much for Chinese.
Er..Nat..a few thoughts on your narrative. I dun think Norila Daud is Rocky’s successor at NUJ. Factual error.
It is indeed unfortunate that the GuangMing pixman was hit. However, I don’t think it is a race thing. It is Umno members being their kurang ajar self against a a member of the journalistic fraternity and of course the DAP.
The crux of this story is Umno members attacking a pressman, not a Chinese and Malay fight. Surely, dear Nat, u know better.
Racial tensions exist, no doubt…And AlHabshee calling it an accident is willfully stupid and irresponsible. But these Umno machais have been behaving like gangsters for a long time, and this has has to be addressed.
But I repeat, that particular attack did not seem to me a race attack. A Harakah pressman wud probably hav been whacked as well.
appreciate all the comments :)
thanks for the clarification galadriel, and apologies is there’s a factual error :)
i don’t believe this is a race-based attack or anything like that at all.
i’m just disappointed with the way mca-owned star twisted their reporting to defend umno, even when this was such a clear cut case of uncouth violence.
thanks again!
Soi Lek was a better HM than CJM. I thot he did well with his intelligent work at the ministry. It was a breadth of fresh air for the 1st time for the Chinaman party.
But as a politician, that statement set him back at the pack of running dogs!
It looks like M C A stands exactly for Malaysia Cowards Association !
Sigh.. Its confirmed, the country has gone to the dogs!
Whilst it is expected to see UMNO thug behaving as such and their running dog MCA supporting role it is a bigger surprise to see their journalist chief speaking like this blaming the organiser. It is indeed a disgrace and a black eye for Journalism in our nation. Ketuanan malays are more or less of the same mould from both divides.
a different issue here : a forsaken victim of SUHAKAM !
SUHAKAM has humiliated and toyed me about since 24-7-2000 when I was called to KL from Ipoh to attend its very 1st historic INQUIRY on my ‘quest for justice ‘.
the chairman,exDPM, on 31-7-2000 shook my hand and promised me, ‘dun worry, we’ll do our BEST to help you get justice !’
Months after months, nothing done, I complained to the press in march 2001, only then the commissioner, dato xxx,sitting /sleeping on my file, caught on my phonecall, ordered me to send certain particulars arrogantly : who is a commissioneer,…… you or i ! ….do it as i tell you ! ……just send it to me…… !”
Months after months again, despite more phonecalls, reg. letters and emails, nothing was done till a new committe was FORMED, my case closed, NFA !!!
The chairman ate his words !! I was merely treated as a silly old ‘guinea-pig’ for SUHAKAM to try out how INQUIRY could be conducted !!!
DAMN…DAMN…DAMN….!!!
The rest of the Barisan Nasional component parties have been gentle with UMNO because they think through this way, they can get what they want. But what they get is UMNO’s more rights over others. If they don’t believe, then ask themselves. Who were the first Malaysians to do anything that Malaysia never did before ? Barisan Nasional / UMNO sponsored space flight for a Malay. Barisan Nasional / UMNO sponsored swim across the English channel for a Malay. Barisan Nasional / UMNO sponsored Mount Everest climb for Malays. Barisan Nasional / UMNO sponsored Artic and Antartic crossing for a Malay. And when do the
non Malays get in return for their loyalty ? Statements like if you don’t like it, you don’t have to be in Malaysia. Yet the Malays refuse to acknowledge that they too are not the first people to live in the land of Malaysia.
MCA has got no self respects. Bedding with UMNO for so long, they are behaving very much as one.
Those MCA leaders are self interest and as a chinese, I will call them chau kau ( smelly dogs.)
UMNO youth are basically thuggish in nature cos they have nothing much upstairs. They cannot think , talk intelligently and reasonably so they resort to violence. They never refute or rebut anything with well thought out answers. These poor dears are empty drums still banging like inthe caveman days where brute and might reigns, they don’t know how to be civil and come to a negotiating table. Shame,shame
It is sad to see such things and those Umno Youth aggressors dare say “it’s an accident”. Hellooo!, You don’t need a Rocket Scientist to conclude and concur that Koh Chun Seng was PUNCHED, WITH INTENT! INTENDED! INTENTIONAL!
UMNO Youth should be ashamed of their behaviour and cover up by saying it was an accident. Can’t you just apologise instead of LYING? STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!
To these MCA running dogs esp. their leaders like Soi Lek, Kong Choy, Kah Ting, we challenge them to contest in urban areas in the coming GE.
Love to see them bash like a pariah dog!
I like Galadriel…. I’l shoot them BN dogs
Nothing will happen to UMNO thugs. Woe betide if it is the other way round. UMNO will be jumping around like a frog if an opposition member were to punch an UMNO guy. You can make any number of police reports, but no action will be taken. Umno controls the PDRM.
Just like what happened at the Apcet II meeting some years back when UMNO thugs broke up the conference. What was the police then and now?
Cronyism, corruption, criminal intimidation, assault, vote rigging… and the list goes on…
I will make my vote count during this 2008 GE.
Please my fellow malaysians…please do the same. Stop the rot in our nation, our beloved country is going to the dogs and regressing backwards…
Forever this country will never be equal.
[...] Gangster culture Photo from Jelas.info [...]