MCA’s war room has issued a Malay tsunami alert and is bracing for the possibility of being wiped out at the polls on May 9.

Insiders at the country’s largest Chinese party said signs of a Malay tsunami are getting stronger, as polling day nears with ripples already being felt.

In the last elections, the party won seven parliamentary and 11 state seats, leading its critics to call it the 7-11 party, a pun on the popular convenience store.

The war room, which operates out of party headquarters, has set a target of 15 parliamentary seats in GE14 after anecdotal evidence and formal surveys showed that the Chinese were showing signs of thaw towards the party.

But since campaigning, this optimism has dissipated.

Adding to its worries is former finance minister Daim Zainuddin’s decision to stump for Pakatan Harapan, a man admired by many Chinese for the way he managed the economy during his time in office.

Trade associations have nothing but praise for him and many are likely to be swayed by his talk on a better deal for businesses.

“He is a game-changer. He will have an impact on the community as much as the Malay community,” said a party insider. 

Analyses by MCA’s election machinery as of May 2 identified the Tebrau parliamentary seat, contested by MCA vice-president Hou Kok Chung, of being in danger of falling.

Tebrau has 123,033 voters, with Malays comprising the majority at 47.19%, followed by Chinese (39.36%) and Indians (11.54%).

In GE13, Khoo Soo Seang retained the seat for Barisan Nasional by 1,797 votes.

Khoo is not contesting but a war room insider said Hou might not be able to defend the hard-won seat.

“Hou is having problems with the local grassroots. Even though he is hardworking, he’s running out of time. Add the possibility of a 7% to 8% swing vote and a three-cornered fight, I can only say that this is not good,” he said.

Furthermore, he said, Hou is a parachute candidate who has done little to serve locals.

In contrast, MCA’s other candidates are banking on their history of serving the locals to win rural Malay votes.

“Our president Liow Tiong Lai in Bentong, deputy president Wee Ka Siong (pic) in Ayer Hitam, vice-president Chua Tee Yong in Labis, Dr Mah Hang Soon in Tanjong Malim, Wee Jeck Seng in Tanjung Piai and Wong Nai Chee in Alor Gajah. I believe they can all win but a Malay tsunami will bring the curtains down on their political careers,” said the insider.

He said Liow scrapped through by 379 votes in GE13 but over the past five years, has worked his socks off.

He said Liow helped develop the Chinese community in Bentong and continued his mentor’s legacy of serving the people. The party believes that Liow will be re-elected on a higher vote.

But if the Felda settlement in the constituency turns against the ruling BN, it will be lights out for him.

He said Ka Siong, Jeck Seng, and Chua have done ground work in the past five years and served the rural folk, and are banking on their service record.

On the other hand, Tanjong Malim’s Dr Mah and Alor Gajah’s Wong were controversial picks.

Fielding them did not go down well with the grassroots. There were demonstrations and protests.

The party insider said in Raub, Kampar and Wangsa Maju, the party is hopeful that work done by the candidates over the year might swing it.

“There is a good chance we can win in these three seats, especially Wangsa Maju. MCA Federal Territories chief Yew Teong Look has also been serving the constituency for the past 15 years.”

The MCA machinery said the service record of two of its vice-presidents, Lee Chee Leong in Kampar and Chew Mei Fun in Raub, could give them an edge.

However, all this will come to naught if BN’s Malay vote bank is carried away by the Malay tsunami towards the opposition. – May 4, 2018.