MCA should consider changing its name to better reflect its new posturing in the local political arena by opening its membership to the non-Chinese, said political commentators.

The 72-year-old party, which started as a purely Chinese-based party, must also provide assurance to its new non-Chinese members that they have a role, they said.

While the party is slowly recovering its lost Chinese support in the past two to three general elections, it is still unknown if non-Chinese support in the form of new members can return the party its heyday, they said.

They were responding to news that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) has approved MCA’s 2019 proposed amendments to its constitution to allow non-Chinese members as affiliate members.

Political commentator Cheah See Kian said for this change to be effective, MCA should change its name to attract multiracial members.

“Imagine a Malay or an Indian joining a Chinese organisation, people around will look at him strangely.

“If you want to be pluralistic, you need to rename the party. For example, PKR, Gerakan, and DAP.

“Although DAP has adopted a diversity route, it still has a relatively high selection rate in the Chinese constituencies,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Associate members have no role in the political party, rendering their participation meaningless, said Cheah.

“They have no right to vote nor can they compete for party positions. Other races who join the party would not have any rights and this is meaningless.

“If they don’t share the same benefits of an ordinary party member, who would be willing to join?”

Cheah also does not think that MCA’s change to welcome other races as members would help in the next elections.

“Their voters have always thought of MCA sending Chinese candidates to battle to protect the community, but now the political party has become a confusion.”

Cheah said MCA’s decision to change to a multiracial line will also affect its image among the Chinese community.

He said he is not optimistic about MCA’s new amendment and believes that it will be self-defeating.

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said MCA has been slowly preparing itself for this change.

In the past two years, MCA leaders have issued announcements on social media using Bahasa Melayu more than Mandarin.

The party also appears active catering to non-Chinese voters, said Oh.

“Although the Chinese support for MCA may have rebounded a bit in the last few by-elections, the rebound was not big, so MCA changed its strategy.

“But whether it will succeed or not, it will be known through the elections.”

When asked whether MCA’s image will be affected among the Chinese community after the change, he said the impact will not be significant.

Oh said currently the Chinese do not pay much attention to the progress and affairs of the party. As such, the impact of such a change will be minimal.

He said there will not be a huge inflow of new non-Chinese members with the new change, and their intake is more symbolic than practical.

Oh, however, added that such a change is a good phenomenon and is worthy of encouragement. – March 5, 2021.