THE war of words between an Umno minister and his MCA allies over billionaire Robert Kuok threatens to negate the latter’s efforts to regain the community’s support in GE14, said analysts.

At the same time, Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz’s comments on Kuok will drive businessmen, who have traditionally supported MCA, towards the opposition.

One analyst, however, said MCA standing up to Umno could burnish its tattered image and help regain its image as “heroes” of the Chinese.

The fallout among the community will make it harder for MCA, Barisan Nasional’s second largest component party, to regain lost ground in the 14th general election.

MCA lost almost all its seats in the last elections five years ago and has struggled to remain relevant to Chinese-Malaysian voters who abandoned it for DAP.

Kuok, a sugar baron, is held up as a Chinese Malaysian business icon by the community, said Dr Wong Chin Huat of the Penang Institute.

“Most of the Chinese would vote for opposition but Nazri’s rude attack on Kuok may chase away some Chinese businessmen who would otherwise stayed with BN.

“And also drive some other Chinese voters who initially choose to abstain to now come out and vote against BN,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Last week, Umno leaders attacked the 94-year-old Hong Kong-based tycoon following a series of posts by fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, who said he is funding DAP.

Nazri, an Umno Supreme Council member, called Kuok a “pondan” (sissy) and a “ayam betina” (hen) hiding behind the wall in Hong Kong.

Nazri dared the nonagenarian to return to Malaysia to contest in the next elections. Another Umno leader, Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, also reminded Kuok “not to forget his roots”.

MCA leaders and several Chinese newspapers criticised the minister over his remarks, saying they undermined communal relations and affected Chinese support towards BN.

It forced MCA president Liow Tiong Lai to declare publicly that he criticised Nazri at a recent cabinet meeting and called the latter an opposition collaborator.

Wong said the latest row exposed MCA’s position in the ruling coalition as it has little bargaining power to force any concession from any Umno minister.

“Robert Kuok’s critique on the post-1969 NEP state is what many non-Malays would echo. Personally, his popularity led to some boycott certain bread brands a few years ago.

“Umno had smartly ignored Kuok’s book, which was out since last December, such that his critical views don’t get more attention.

“Raja Petra’s loose cannons (have) now dragged Umno into a PR disaster, as Kuok is respected by some Malay elite, including Nazir Razak,” he said, referring to the brother of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Independent analyst Khoo Kay Peng said MCA’s defence of Kuok would do little to regain its standing among the Chinese.

“MCA is over, the party would like to believe that by defending Kuok, it’s going to help the party.

“The party needs a total transformation, because it’s outdated and no longer appeals to the current generation of Chinese voters who don’t see themselves associated with race as much as their demand for good governance,” he said.

Another analyst Prof Dr Hoo Ke Ping said MCA is taking advantage of the feud by diverting the focus of the criticism from Umno to Nazri, which could help improve their image.

“From blaming Umno to blaming Nazri and now they are blaming DAP as well because of their friendship with Nazri.

“We definitely cannot tell who will win or lose but the anger has been shifted from Umno to Nazri,” he said.

“What MCA did is right to restore Chinese’s confidence in BN, they are isolating Nazri.”

MCA members also held a protest at the party’s headquarters to demand Nazri resign for ‘insulting’ Kuok.

“The more Nazri talks, the better it is for MCA, providing MCA with more ammunition and the Chinese will see MCA from a different light (than) they are already seeing it.

“MCA will come out like heroes.” – March 5, 2018.