Keng Yaik: Gerakan, MCA merger 'unlikely to happen' News update by Nick Leong KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan and MCA should strengthen ties and find new ways of cooperation instead of working towards a merger, Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said Sunday. He said a merger between the parties was unlikely to happen unless the identities of the two parties became the "undistinguishable". "If we can identify a common goal and attitude, and our identities can no longer be separated, we will come to a conclusion in the long term," he told reporters after opening the Federal Territory Gerakan delegates' conference at the party headquarters. He said among the common goals that the two parties could work together was the creation of Bangsa Malaysia and Vision 2020.

I was rather intrigued with this article for 2 reasons. Firstly, Gerakan and MCA should never have had a conversation or even suggestion about the merger of these 2 parties. From the Gerakan website,

Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, Parti Gerakan for short, has since its founding in 1968, been committed to the pursuit of a non-ethnic approach as the basis of its political struggle, be it in politics, economics, education and culture.

They went on later in the article:

This consistency and steadfastness in our party's commitment to the non-ethnic approach are premised on the belief that there is a large section of our society whose political consciousness is Malaysian, and want political representation as Malaysians.

MCA remains a party representing the Chinese community of Malaysia. By discussing a merger with MCA, they are defying their very own ideology of a "non-ethnic" approach. Keng Yaik is still open to the possibility of a merger in future and this only dilutes the struggle of the party. It will most likely leave its non-Chinese members totally disenchanted.

Secondly, he mentioned that he is fighting for a Bangsa Malaysia. Well, that will not happen so long as special priviledges remain for the majority bumiputeras. It is only wishful thinking. What are they doing to ensure their goal of a bangsa Malaysia? This goes for both MCA and Gerakan. One of MCA'a ideology is :

to strive for equal status for all races in the country

They do not appear to be making any progress since independance. If there is a change, it is a regression. Ludicrous.