POLITICAL analysts have described MCA’s warning to Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to be more circumspect about his coalition’s relationship with Pakatan Harapan (PH) as a case of “sour grapes”.

They said BN was weak at present and needed the support of PH parties, including DAP. They also said if MCA felt it was being marginalised in BN, it was time to re-examine their role in the coalition.

Political pundit Vincent Thock Kiah Wah said MCA should be realistic to BN and its component parties’ current political situation.

He said BN is weak and they need all the support they can get.

“They’re all in the same boat. They all want the support and the votes. If you have the support and the votes, you have strength and having the strength means having power.

“Neither BN, Umno nor MCA has them at the moment. MCA’s reaction is akin to being sour grapes,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He said MCA was weak and had to rely on Umno for strength.

“But Umno itself is equally in a difficult position. It needs to rely on PH and DAP for strength.”

Thock said MCA’s political position was at an ebb with backing from their traditional support base, the Chinese voters, dwindling.

“If MCA has the vot and support of the people, of course it’s fine and dandy. The reality is they don’t.

“It’s DAP that has the votes and the support of the Chinese, so Umno has to be friendly with DAP and the Chinese votes its candidates would need in areas it is contesting in the state elections,” Thock said.

Thock said Zahid cosying up to DAP was normal, politically.

“He also must canvass support for friendly parties and give Malay voters confidence in DAP.”

MCA, Thock said, should also face up to reality it could no longer rely on Umno in finding its way out of the political quandary.

Following MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon’s criticism, Zahid had hit back by telling the Chinese-based party not to “trivialise” Umno’s attempt at strengthening the party’s internal and external support.

He reminded BN members, especially MCA, that they should not be petty about their current partnership with Umno and that all parties should accept the new political reality.

Zahid said Umno was working with the current unity government via a “smart partnership” approach, that every party in the government supported one another.

Be the opposing force in unity govt

However, veteran political analyst Cheah See Kian disagrees with Zahid’s contention.

Cheah said Umno cannot sacrifice its BN coalition partners in the name of supporting PH.

“Umno must remember the role MCA and MIC have played as coalition partners in the past and the role they could play in the future.

“Umno must acknowledge their existence.”

Zahid, he added, should care about the feelings of the member parties.

“If he does not, then Zahid should simply tell MCA to leave BN.”

Cheah said MCA at the same time should also re-examine its position in the pact.

“What role does MCA have in the unity government? They have no representation and they have been reduced to a party playing a supporting role.”

Liew Wui Chern, a mass communication lecturer at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, said when the unity government was formed, MCA should have taken the position of an opposition party within the unity government.

He gave two reasons for this.

He said first, MCA should maintain “an antagonistic stance” with DAP if the former is to win back the lost Chinese support.

Secondly, he said, MCA should take advantage of the current political landscape to reshape the mindset of the Chinese towards the party.

“With DAP in the government, they are bound to make mistakes and when they do, people will very likely criticise them.

Liew said this will pave the way for MCA to politically exploit the situation and try to woo the Chinese back.

He said he believed MCA is on top of the game and is very well aware that the unity government is finding some issues difficult to handle, like race.

“Yes, MCA should take the non-conventional route, positioning themselves as an opposition in the ruling coalition.”

Liew said MCA could, and should, behave like an opposition party because it is turning into a mosquito party.

“Their influence is waning.”

The little support left for MCA is some Malay voters and the Chinese business community, he added.

He said for MCA to have any realistic chance in the state elections, it is in constituencies where Malays make up 60% of the voters.

“Then again, these Malay-majority constituencies are usually allocated to Umno and in the current political setup, to Amanah or PKR.

“There is no chance for MCA.” – May 27, 2023.