Wassup With MCA & The Cabinet Posts Issue?

  

The MCA lost a big chunk (25 seats) of its parliamentary seats in the general elections last March. How well can its existing 15 seats withstand the impact of the next general elections remains unknown.

What is known is that the MCA is adamant that its leaders will not be part of the Cabinet if the party’s performance in the next general election is worse than the previous one.

Party vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung said he respected Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s decision to ensure that there was Chinese representation in the Cabinet, even if MCA or Gerakan did not secure a single parliamentary seat in the next polls.

“However, we will stick to the party’s stand on the matter. If we secure fewer seats than what we currently have, we will pull out of the Cabinet,” he reiterated.

The Malaysian Insider yesterday quoted Nazri as saying that he would persuade Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to ensure other races were represented in the Cabinet even if MCA or Gerakan did not win any parliamentary seat in the next election.

Nazri also said Barisan Nasional would not “punish” the Chinese voters by taking away their representatives if they refused to vote for the two parties.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek had previously pledged that the party would not accept ministerial posts and state government positions if it failed to win at least 15 parliamentary and 31 state seats in the general election.

Chor said MCA would continue to work hard to strengthen the Chinese community’s support for the party.

“So far, their support has been encouraging. We are also working hard to serve the Malay, Indian and other communities to show MCA’s sincerity in helping all Malaysians,” he said.

It appears that public confidence has returned to the MCA, and this was evident in Barisan Nasional's improved performance in the recent by-elections, MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said.

He added that the coalition won four out of five by-elections after unity and stability returned to the MCA following its March 28 party polls last year.

Prior to that Barisan only won two out of the nine by-elections, he said. 'We should appreciate and maintain what the party has achieved in the last one year and stay away from any in-fighting or backstabbing.

'Outsiders will only stand to gain from our infighting,' he had said at the opening of the party's 62nd anniversary at Wisma MCA recently.

Kong said the party at all levels must prepare for the upcoming general election. Apart from serving the people well, there was also the need to publicise the party's efforts and highlight the hypocrisy of Pakatan Rakyat, he said.

With that, it appears that the MCA are dead serious about regaining lost ground and making up for past inadequacies. Serious enough to launch a do or die mission. This is getting interesting and bears watching.