FORMER MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker said the waning Chinese party needs major structural reform and a shift in its political strategy to regain the support of Chinese voters.

Historically, MCA’s focus has always been the protection of Chinese interests in two areas: education and welfare. 

Times have changed and MCA should not be lulled into complacency, he said.

“They need to get out of it quickly.”

Ti, now a senator, said MCA should be more vocal in expressing the sentiments of the Chinese community.

In an interview with The Malaysian Insight, the former deputy unity minister said MCA should be conscious of voter sentiment and adapt to changes in the political landscape. 

He said structural reforms should not be limited to internal changes.

“MCA has undergone multiple reforms in its lifetime,” he said, pointing to the party’s acceptance of non-Chinese as members and the amending of its constitution to limiting it’s presidential terms to the maximum of three terms or nine years.”

Ti said MCA would face significant challenges in regaining Chinese support.

The party’s diminished political influence did not help the situation either, he added.

“MCA does not even have a single representative in the cabinet of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

“People used to say MCA was ineffective in the past. It’s even more so now with fewer or no representatives at the new village, local councillors, state exco, ministers, et cetera”

To illustrate his view, Ti said MCA’s two federal seats were won with the support of Malay voters.

He believed, however, that regaining Chinese support was not impossible.

“MCA needs to be brave with reforms.”

‘Lost its narrative’  

Ti said the time has come for MCA to move beyond its focus on Chinese education, welfare, and economic interests.

He said the party might have done well in these areas in the past but now they were no longer getting voter support in return.

He said Chinese voters saw the party as being subservient to its dominant Barisan Nasional partner, Umno.

“MCA has lost its narrative because we failed to convey the political spirit and explain why we needed to compromise with Umno in the past. Now DAP seems to be doing the same but they come up with a narrative and justification, for example, the ‘green wave’.”

He admitted that it was difficult to explain MCA’s stand in the past as political literacy was lower at the time.

“Post-May 13, the racial sentiments were raw and very sensitive. Whatever was said could be distorted or exploited into a fiery racial issue.”

MCA had to tread the political minefield cautiously in the past whereby the Chinese felt suppressed and the Malays felt deprived, he said.

MCA needed to be considerate so as not to offend the majority race, Malay political parties, or seen to be disrespectful of the Maley rulers, he added.

“Treading the fine line of the political realities of racial and religious minefields, however, has not gone down well with the Chinese, resulting in gradual and ultimate loss of their support.” – December 24, 2023.