Star and MCA’s total distortion of my tribute to the eight policemen who died as national heroes in shoot-outs with Sulu gunmen

My attention has been drawn to today’s Sunday Star report “MCA defends RM2,000 aid to families of slain cops”, which is a total distortion of my tribute to the eight policemen who died as national heroes in Lahad Datu and Semporna in the shoot-outs with Sulu gunmen.

Star quoted the MCA national organising secretary Datuk Tee Siew Kong accusing me of “a ploy to politicise the fatalities” and that I was “out to discredit the services and responsibilities of the uniformed personnel killed while protecting our nation”.

This is utter nonsense.

I stand by my unqualified tribute to the eight police commandos for their highest act of patriotic duty in giving their lives in the defence of national sovereignty and security of the people.

I also stand by my conviction that these eight police commandoes should not have died if the security forces had been given a free hand to professionally handle the Sabah Sulu crisis, but I do not want at this stage to get into an argument about the role of irresponsible politicians whether for their treason in creating grave security problems in Sabah or for their inept leadership which posed grave threat to life and limb of security forces personnel.

When the Sabah security situation has settled down, can Malaysians expect MCA leaders to support action against political leaders who are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” pretending to be the people’s leaders but committed treason to create a grave security situation in Sabah or through their inefficient leadership exposed security forces personnel to unnecessary danger?

I had in Senai on Wednesday referred to the announcement by the MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek that MCA would donate RM16,000 to the families of the eight security personnel killed in the Sulu attacks and the MCA pledge to donate RM2,000 for every security personnel killed in the Sabah crisis.

I did not criticise the RM16,000 donation to the eight bereaved families, but I felt offended at the talk of RM2,000 for every security personnel killed, as if expecting more security personnel to be killed in Sabah as well as the deplorable attitude as if money could solve all problems.

The correct attitude would be to ensure that there should not be any more loss of lives among our security personnel in Sabah.

This was why the Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council had called for a special meeting of Parliament to achieve a situation where there would not be any further loss of lives among our security personnel in Sabah but this is a proposal none of the four MCA Ministers had supported in the Cabinet that morning.

That was why I criticised the MCA leadership. Was I wrong?