Nobody would really believe the denials of the Barisan Nasional leaders that they are averse to playing the "China card" to woo Chinese voters in the Nov. 29 general election.
It would have been most correct, to avoid all suspicion of trying to play the Chinese card, for the caretaker government to have invited and involve all opposition leaders in the programmes of the Chinese premier’s visit. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.
However, as Mahathir and other Barisan Nasional leaders have claimed that they are not trying to exploit Zhu Rongji’s visit for electoral gain for the Barisan Nasional, we would temporarily take them at their word and hope that Barisan Nasional leaders would be scrupulously correct in not giving anyone the impression that they are trying to milk electoral mileage from the Chinese premier’s visit.
It has been speculated that during Zhu’s visit, agreement would be reached for the Bank of China to establish its office in Malaysia. DAP would welcome such an agreement - but to prevent being accused of playing the Chinese card, compromising Malaysia’s national honour and dignity or to embarrass the Chinese Premier, the announcement of any agreement on the re-establishment of the Bank of China in Malaysia should be deferred until after polling day on Nov. 29, 1999.
(21/11/99)