He put forth the argument that party-controlled institutions cannot receive public funding. He blamed the MCA for being selfish by refusing to give up the ownership of TAR UC.
Sometimes we can all walk the moral high ground with a perverted sense of right and wrong.
The MCA’s control of TAR UC is historical and accidental. It was a desperate measure carried out during a desperate time. In the process, the lives of thousands were changed.
In fact, TAR UC was not just an MCA effort; it was also the Chinese community’s effort to save itself. The institution received some funding from the government, but the Chinese community too contributed enormously.
Times have changed. Today, educational opportunities are more readily available and hence TAR UC is no longer viewed as critical to the educational aspirations of many young Malaysians.
Not all problems need to be resolved urgently. Is the MCA’s ownership of TAR UC so damaging that it requires immediate action? I think immediate suspension of public funding to TAR UC should only happen when certain events happen.
So far is there any evidence of the MCA benefiting financially from TAR UC? Has public funding to TAR UC been siphoned off or channelled by the MCA for other uses? Have we had evidence of TAR UC being managed inefficiently resulting in excessive wastage and cost overruns?
What then is the problem with the MCA controlling ownership of TAR UC? Even if it is bad in principle and governance, did we see abuses in TAR UC the way we see in other educational and public institutions in the country? I am old enough to know that sometimes we can use lots of moral arguments to hide an immoral or bad intention. If we want to talk about abuse and potential abuse in this country, any guy in the coffee shop can tell us that.
Granted that at some point the MCA must give up its ownership, but have we given the party sufficient time to work this out? Who would like to take over if TAR UC is to remain a non-profit? In between now and the new ownership, why must the students and the institution be made to suffer?
Let’s be reasonable; a time frame must be given for the MCA to divest itself of TAR UC if the new government is adamant about its new resolve. Otherwise it is baloney.
T K Chua is a reader of FMT
The views expressed by the writer do not necessarily reflect those of FMT