Lee urges silent majority to stand up against extremist forces
The Star – 2/5/2006
LONDON: The silent majority should stand up against a vocal minority, such as religious extremists, MCA international affairs bureau chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said.  Lee said moderate forces must speak up for the sake of the country's future.  
“That is the biggest challenge we are facing today,” he said when opening the MCA UK Club's annual general meeting at Malaysia Hall on Saturday.   
Lee said people should not just laugh and do nothing when a vocal minority makes noise.  He said in the end, they could end up being ruled by this group if they did not care about what was happening around them.  Lee cited the low turnout for local council and even general elections in some countries.   Those who turned up, he added, were only interested to vote in certain candidates, resulting in extremists hijacking the country's politics.  
“In Malaysia, we need people like you to join political parties like the MCA and stand up against these extremist forces,” he said.  Lee also touched on the party's nine-point platform, which includes creating a healthy political culture, promoting the lifelong learning campaign and revitalising education.  More that 30 members from the club's five regional branches of Greater London, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, North-west and Wales, attended the meeting.  
Lee, who is party central committee member and Subang Jaya state assemblyman, later presented certificates to the club's 2006/2007 committee.   He also had a dialogue session with the members.  The club was re-launched last September at the initiative of party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting following his meeting with Tunku Abdul Rahman College students in Sheffield in March last year.  
Lee said the MCA UK Club was the most active among the party's overseas clubs. The other overseas clubs were in Australia and Japan.  
“We hope to set up more clubs in China and the US as there are also many Malaysian Chinese there,” he added.  Club president Alan Ling said he would embark on a membership drive to get more students and professionals to join the club.  He said those interested could visit the club's website at www.mcacuk.org or e-mail him at president@mcacuk.org for details.  
Source: http://thestar.com.my