Umno has ditched MCA
The Chinese community sees MCA as powerless in the Barisan Nasional coalition, say political analysts.
KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has lost its relevance and it is surviving only because it is riding piggy-back on Umno, political analyst James Chin said.
He added that even this perception was recently shattered.
When Malay right-wing group Perkasa protested outside the MCA headquarters yesterday, nobody from Umno came in support of MCA, said Chin, from Monash University.
He said the Perkasa protest against MCA holds larger and deeper significance as far as Umno-MCA relations is concerned in that it reinforces the petty role played by the Chinese-based party in the ruling coalition.
The big problem is that the Chinese community sees MCA as powerless in Barisan Nasional (BN). They see MCA as providing cover to Umno which can claim to have a multiracial government when in fact BN is Umno and Umno is BN, he told FMT.
MCA, the second largest and a senior BN component, is attempting to rebrand itself under current president Dr Chua Soi Lek. Chua is trying to do away with the notion that his party is submissive to Umno in the coalition.
Chua has embarked on a crusade to restore MCAs image as champions of the Chinese, often crossing swords with Umnos top echelons and upsetting Perkasa, whose members are made up of Umnos supporters.
Perkasa and Umnos constant harping on communal sentiments to maintain its Malay powerbase is the reason behind MCAs waning appeal, claimed Chua.
This includes the constant attack by Umnos mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia on the Chinese community for continuing to support the opposition.
Chua blasted Utusan as extremists and racists, striking a raw nerve that forced Perkasa ! to rally in Utusans defence.
Chin said that one notable point in the ongoing MCA-Perkasa row is the absence of Umno in defending its senior coalition partner.
While Umnos top guns have distanced themselves from Perkasa and Utusan, none have backed MCAs condemnation of the two.
The Perkasa demonstration outside MCA headquarters sends the message that Umno will not defend MCA if MCA challenges Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy).
MCAs strategy of speaking out will not work as it reinforced the view that it has no power in the government.
It is no coincidence that some in the Chinese community call them Umnos running dogs, said the political analyst.
Nothing will change
With only 15 seats in Parliament, all won on Malay support, MCA is in no position to bargain, rendering its rebranding efforts useless and its political future bleak, said Khoo Kay Peng, a political scientist with think-tank SEDAR.
MCA loyalists have praised Chua and his partys attempt to reconcile with the Chinese electorate but Khoo said such effort is merely staged to save MCA from complete humiliation, given that the party survives only on Umnos political courtesy.
Nothing is going to happen, Khoo told FMT when asked how MCA plans to deal with Umnos connection with Perkasa and its communal rhetoric via its mouthpiece Utusan.
MCA will find it hard to get out of the box. The party will back away. Going against Umno is going against government policies, he added.
Khoos statement resembles that of the DAPs, which has challenged the party to quit BN if it was against Umnos alleged racist politics. To stay with BN is to support what the DAP labels as racially discriminative policies.
Khoo, however, noted that racial politics bears little weight now as Malaysias electorate, especially urban voters, are wise to the ways of the ruling party.
Its all about good governance and equitable policies which means that if BN implements complete and thorough reform, it could see a! return of support regardless of race.
If you put the money back in their pockets, they will come back, he said.
KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has lost its relevance and it is surviving only because it is riding piggy-back on Umno, political analyst James Chin said.When Malay right-wing group Perkasa protested outside the MCA headquarters yesterday, nobody from Umno came in support of MCA, said Chin, from Monash University.
He said the Perkasa protest against MCA holds larger and deeper significance as far as Umno-MCA relations is concerned in that it reinforces the petty role played by the Chinese-based party in the ruling coalition.
The big problem is that the Chinese community sees MCA as powerless in Barisan Nasional (BN). They see MCA as providing cover to Umno which can claim to have a multiracial government when in fact BN is Umno and Umno is BN, he told FMT.
MCA, the second largest and a senior BN component, is attempting to rebrand itself under current president Dr Chua Soi Lek. Chua is trying to do away with the notion that his party is submissive to Umno in the coalition.
Chua has embarked on a crusade to restore MCAs image as champions of the Chinese, often crossing swords with Umnos top echelons and upsetting Perkasa, whose members are made up of Umnos supporters.
Perkasa and Umnos constant harping on communal sentiments to maintain its Malay powerbase is the reason behind MCAs waning appeal, claimed Chua.
This includes the constant attack by Umnos mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia on the Chinese community for continuing to support the opposition.
Chua blasted Utusan as extremists and racists, striking a raw nerve that forced Perkasa ! to rally in Utusans defence.
Chin said that one notable point in the ongoing MCA-Perkasa row is the absence of Umno in defending its senior coalition partner.
While Umnos top guns have distanced themselves from Perkasa and Utusan, none have backed MCAs condemnation of the two.
The Perkasa demonstration outside MCA headquarters sends the message that Umno will not defend MCA if MCA challenges Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy).
MCAs strategy of speaking out will not work as it reinforced the view that it has no power in the government.
It is no coincidence that some in the Chinese community call them Umnos running dogs, said the political analyst.
Nothing will change
With only 15 seats in Parliament, all won on Malay support, MCA is in no position to bargain, rendering its rebranding efforts useless and its political future bleak, said Khoo Kay Peng, a political scientist with think-tank SEDAR.
MCA loyalists have praised Chua and his partys attempt to reconcile with the Chinese electorate but Khoo said such effort is merely staged to save MCA from complete humiliation, given that the party survives only on Umnos political courtesy.
Nothing is going to happen, Khoo told FMT when asked how MCA plans to deal with Umnos connection with Perkasa and its communal rhetoric via its mouthpiece Utusan.
MCA will find it hard to get out of the box. The party will back away. Going against Umno is going against government policies, he added.
Khoos statement resembles that of the DAPs, which has challenged the party to quit BN if it was against Umnos alleged racist politics. To stay with BN is to support what the DAP labels as racially discriminative policies.
Khoo, however, noted that racial politics bears little weight now as Malaysias electorate, especially urban voters, are wise to the ways of the ruling party.
Its all about good governance and equitable policies which means that if BN implements complete and thorough reform, it could see a! return of support regardless of race.
If you put the money back in their pockets, they will come back, he said.
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