MCA has identified 15 federal seats that it can win in the next general election, said party sources.

They are Ayer Itam, Tanjung Piai, Labis, Tebrau, Alor Star, Bentong, Tanjung Malim, Wangsa Maju, Alor Gajah, Bandar Tun Razak, Gopeng, Padang Serai, Raub, Teluk Intan and Seremban.

Of the 15, two seats are currently held by the party – Ayer Hitam, which was defended by party president Dr Wee Ka Siong, and Tanjung Piai, which was won by Wee Jeck Seng in the November 2019 by-election.

Sources told The Malaysian Insight that the 15 seats were decided based on MCA’s performance in GE14.

With the help of Umno and PAS, MCA stands a good chance of winning the seats, they said.

“In any case, we have to see whether there will be multiple-cornered fights. If it is a straight fight with Pakatan Harapan, MCA has a good chance of winning,” said a source.

Last week, MCA think-tank, the Institute for Strategic Analysis and Policy (INSAP), had conducted a survey of Bentong, Raub, Segamat, Yong Peng, Pekan Nanas, Alor Gajah, Tanjung Malim and Alor Setar.

Except for the Ayer Itam and Tanjung Piai parliamentary seats, MCA has to depend on Bersatu, Umno and PAS in Tanjung Malim, Raub, Bentong, Kuantan, Wangsa Maju, Alor Gajah, Bandar Tun Razak and Padang Serai.

MCA is also hoping to recapture the former Gerakan seat, Teluk Intan, which fell to DAP’s Nga Kor Ming in the last election.

Sources said MCA’s divisions have already given a list of candidates to the central committee.

“The party is looking at fielding Chua Tee Yong in Labis again. He lost the seat to DAP veteran Pang Hock Liang by a narrow 3,408 votes in GE14,” the source said.

Although Chua has kept a low profile since losing the seat, the son of former party president Dr Chua Soi Lek is reported to be active in the Labis constituency again.

Another rumour plying the Chinese circles is that former party chief Liow Tiong Lai will make his comeback in Bentong again.

Liow, who was another casualty of the anti-Barisan Nasional wave in 2018, lost to DAP’s Wong Tack by 2,032 votes.

In Bentong, Malay voters accounted for 46.5%, Chinese for 41.56% and Indian voters 9.16%. Voter turnout in the last general election was 83.4%.

Apart from Chua and Liow, MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon is expected to contest in Raub while vice-president Ti Lian Ker is similarly eyeing the seat.

MCA won only one federal and two state seats out of the 39 federal and 90 state seats it contested in GE14. It won an additional parliamentary seat during the Tanjung Piai by-election.

The Chinese party’s best performance was in the 1995 elections, where it won 34 parliamentary and 30 state seats. – April 21, 2021.