MCA 2008

ASTRO AWANI's Analisis AWANI Khas (1am-2am) was an excellent discussion about the MCA 2008 Party Election. It had a good panel discussing the MCA 2008 Party Election and the outcome of the important MCA election.

The discussion was expertly handled by Nazri Kahar, Suhaimi Sulaiman and Kamarul Bahrin Haron. These three young men have a good sense of the larger picture of Malaysian politics as well as the trends that are governing as well as constantly forming in the political arena.

They had two guests who spoke Bahasa Malaysia very well, and the more impressive of the two panellists was easily Dr Sivamurugan Pandian. Dr Sivamurugan spoke eloquently and sensibly in Malay of the dynamic force that drives the Chinese community (a characteristic that makes the Malaysian Chinese community the most dynamic force in the Malaysian society! -- these comments in bracket are my own opinion). The Chinese, said Dr Sivamurugan, are looking for capable leaders who are committed to their roles as community leaders.

Somewhat sadly, the other panelist, Dr Ong Hak Ching - a political analyst -- and very reflective/representative of the older generation of Malaysian Chinese was the standard issue old-school MCA mouthpiece who was more than a tad wishy washy and apologetic-for-no-good-reason. His comments were sometimes rather grating and off-the-mark. It was obvious Dr Ong had no desire to ruffle any feathers in MCA's upper echelons, whatever he imagined the upper echelons to be in his mind. And it was an utter chore to listen to some of the rotten rubbish he spouted during this otherwise good programme. Dr Ong should not be invited to any more Analisis Awani programmes, if you ask me!

On a completely positive note, I must say that hosts Nazri Kahar, Suhaimi Sulaiman and Kamarul Bahrin Haron are representative of the very dynamic young generation of Malaysians who are more intellectually inclined and constructively curious about the goings on in the progress and affairs of the other races and these three young men put a wonderfully progressive face to the present generation of Malaysians who are going to determine the direction that our glorious nation is going to take.

These three men are curious and, even more important than that, very interested, in the larger tapestry that is Malaysia. All media movers and shakers and progressive types must build up these three excellent young men to be larger than life power brokers and make them potent arbitrators on the stage of Malaysian politics.

Bravo Astro Awani!