MCA and Gerakan are set to face tough times in the next general election if they end up in opposing camps as a result of a split between Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN), said political analyst and veteran newsman Cheah See Kian.

According to Cheah, the task for these two parties is made harder by the fact that the Chinese support is set to remain with DAP, which is part of Pakatan Harapan (PH).

However, the parties are confident of making inroads in the coming elections, saying that they can regain their lost support and seats in the house.

Chinese-based party MCA is in BN, led by Umno, while Chinese-majority multiracial Gerakan is in the Bersatu-led PN camp.

While Umno has said that it will end its ties with Bersatu in GE15, BN has yet to make its position official.

MCA and Gerakan suffered humiliating defeats in GE14 when they were both in BN.

MCA won only the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat in the 2018 elections, losing six other constituencies. However, it later captured Tg Piai in a 2019 by-election.

Meanwhile, Gerakan lost in all 11 parliamentary constituencies it contested, including the one seat it held from GE13. It quit BN after GE14 but joined PN in February this year.

Cheah said that a three-cornered fight involving BN, PN and PH would mean trouble for Gerakan and MCA in GE15.

However, he said MCA could fare a little better than Gerakan simply because the latter party lacked a strong political leader.

“Dominic Lau and his deputy Oh Tong Keong have limited influence.

“Former leaders of Gerakan are also unwilling to return to the party to serve. Even if they are willing to return, the struggle within the party is still a stumbling block.”

He believed that since Gerakan left BN after GE14, the party has been unable to find a new direction.

“Gerakan has not changed much from the past. The party’s plans to rejuvenate itself have not gone well.

“Also, how would seats be distributed within PN? Moreover, they are faced with the competition from MCA and DAP, which will not let go of any seats.

“Gerakan can only rely on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his plans for their comeback.”

Although Cheah believed that MCA’s situation was better than that of Gerakan, he did say the party faced the dilemma of whether to choose BN or jump to PN.

“MCA is dependent on Umno. The only problem is that the Umno leadership is the same old team. 

“There is no new blood active enough to win the support of non-Chinese voters. However, I feel that MCA will continue to be with Umno (in BN).”

A confident MCA

Meanwhile, MCA spokesperson Mike Chong Yew Chuan said the party was confident of regaining its support in the coming elections.

“After BN lost power and became the opposition pact, MCA had immediately started analysing the situation.

“In order to win the support of voters, we had to become a grounded political party.”

He said that MCA electoral setbacks started in the 2008 general elections, after which they had been gradually losing their seats and support.

“After losing power, we have to reform and reflect. The new leadership calls on MCA to be more grounded and proactively engage voters to understand their needs, such as the younger voters.

“By registering the voters and voting, MCA will resonate with young people who understand their ideals.”

Chong also said there was room for improvement in the party.

“MCA understands the needs of the people and will make improvements in due course.”

He said that compared to their huge defeat in 2018, MCA still has a chance to win the support of voters in the next general election.

“The main reason is that voters have gone through a major change and saw the weakness of PH and DAP.

“They are upset with the opposition and we are targeting these voters for their support.”

He also said that the party was aware that the Malay community was the largest source of votes.

“Protecting the rights of ethnic Chinese is still MCA’s most important concern. I hope that voters can see MCA’s intentions.”

Waiting game for Gerakan

Selangor Gerakan chairman David Ang told The Malaysian Insight that the party was not necessarily in an advantageous position by joining PN.

“The main reason is that voters now have different requirements from the government than in the past, especially those voters in urban areas who are more educated and have a different perception of politics.”

He said Gerakan had not been represented in the government since losing the elections in 2018, and had no opportunity to serve the people.

“Naturally, voters will question the representation of Gerakan. We have no advantage as we have just joined PN.”

Ang also said Gerakan’s advantage did not depend on connections but on organisational value.

He added the party’s defeat in 2018 was not because Gerakan had not served well or was involved in corruption.

“Gerakan was dragged down by accumulated baggage from the past.”

He said there had been no talks of seats since the party joined PN two months ago.

“The main issue now is to address the Covid-19 pandemic, revitalise the economy and address the people’s problems.” – April 5, 2021.