27 February 2021

Keynote speech by MCA President Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong On the Occasion of the MCA Flag-Raising Ceremony and the Launching of the “Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock Memorial Website"


Good morning to all leaders, comrades and friends. Thank you for your participation through this virtual meeting. Thank you all for joining us in witnessing our party’s flag raising ceremony and the launching of the “Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock Memorial Website”.

MCA was founded on 27 February 1949. Today marks the 72
nd party anniversary. Despite the impacts stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic or the Movement Control Order, we are still able to gather for a simple yet meaningful party flag raising ceremony.

My fellow comrades, the party flag is the symbol and sign of our party. If you have noticed, among all major political parties in Malaysia, MCA is the only party in Malaysia to have based its party flag design on the national flag. The MCA flag with its yellow star and blue background closely resembles the upper left portion of the national flag. If we look back at history, the MCA flag is indeed closely related with the national flag.

MCA was founded in 1949 but our
MCA party flag, designed by two party veterans, Mok Yuen and Kean Chai Seng only came to existence in 1958. Both veterans were inspired by our Jalur Gemilang and used the blue background and yellow star from the upper left portion of the national flag to be the party flag. That’s how part of the national flag became the MCA party flag.

The message they intended to convey through this design was that the Chinese community contributed and played its part in nation building. It was MCA which represented the Chinese community to work hand-in-hand with friends from other ethnic groups to fight for the nation’s Independence and build the country together.

Among all political parties, only MCA’s flag is derived from the national flag.
The meaning behind this design is consistent with the spirit passed down to us by Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock, that is: MCA is a party committed towards nation-building. Hence, we must always be a patriotic party, and patriotism is one of the core values of MCA.

Today, as we look at the party flag as members of this party, we must remind ourselves that this country was established after we had gone through a difficult time toiling for Independence. Therefore, caring for this nation and protecting our country remain MCA’s unshakeable mission since the day the party was founded. Every MCA member shoulders a heavy responsibility. We must ensure that the MCA party flag, together with the national flag, that is, the Jalur Gemilang will keep flying high.

Even though our party’s founders had since left us many years ago, the spirit, philosophy and party motto that they left behind are the invaluable treasures of our party. These are the roots and soul of MCA. We are to always be on guard in our position and keep in mind the lofty ideals of our party’s founding fathers. We are to continue the party's fighting spirit, defend the interests of the country and the people, and serve as the rakyat’s mouthpiece.

MCA party members must defend the values
of diversity, tolerance, moderation and harmony. Our predecessors fought for Independence and built the nation with a very simple intention – to build a nation for all people and all races, not just for a particular ethnic or religious group. This nation belongs to all citizens whose rights are all protected under the Federal Constitution. This is very clear and unquestionable.

In view of the above, we have decided to introduce the “Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock Memorial Website” today to invite the public to remember the deeds of this founding father of MCA and one of the nation-building heroes of Malaya. We are fortunate to be born in this era of peace. However, we should keep in mind the struggles and dedication of Tun Sir Tan Cheng Lock and always remember and respect his contributions. We can use the insights and feelings from his era to draw lessons from history, learn from the past, create new political thoughts and discourses, rejuvenate our party, and fight for the interest of the rakyat.

My fellow comrades, since the outbreak of Covid-19 last year, our nation’s economy has been badly affected and many people are living in dire situation. MCA party members and the Crisis Relief Squad of MCA (CRSM) volunteers are working tirelessly in different parts of the country to assist the Government in fighting this pandemic. They are also assisting the rakyat who have been badly affected by alleviating their burden. In addition to distributing supplies, food and essential items, they continue to share accurate information on the Covid-19 pandemic and preventive measures to reduce people's anxieties and worries, and to work with the Government in fighting the pandemic.

From the end of last year to the beginning of 2021, monsoon rain had caused severe flash floods in certain states. Even though the pandemic has yet to be over, our party members and volunteers continue to uphold the spirit of helping the poor and vulnerable groups. Without hesitation, they bravely traveled to disaster-hit areas, raised funds, provided disaster relief supplies and necessities in time that were most needed by the victims. After the floods gradually subsided, our party members and volunteers also cleaned and rebuilt homes for the victims, so that they could resume their normal lives as soon as possible.

The selfless dedication and contribution of MCA party members and volunteers during this period, the spirit of defying hardships with hard work, is a manifestation of patriotism. I also want to encourage my fellow comrades to remain enthusiastic and continue the spirit to serve. Everyone is urged to continue working hard. Now that the Covid-19 vaccine has arrived, and the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme has officially taken off, there is plenty of work for us to do next.

Our party Secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon and the CRSM team have earlier released a statement on a volunteer recruitment drive to assist the government to complete the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. We need to protect the country and the public, so that we may all be protected against the virus, and that the pandemic will be contained as soon as possible.

To conclude, I would like to wish our party Happy Birthday. May all comrades enjoy good health and stay safe. Here’s wishing a soaring economy for Malaysia which will bring prosperity to all Malaysians.

Thank you!

Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong
MCA President

-MCA Online-