COMMENT Even though MCA is part of the BN ruling coalition at the federal level, it has many characteristics of an opposition party.A dilemma is having to choose between two options which seem equally unfavourable or mutually exclusive. Politicians and political parties in Malaysia often face such difficult choices.

For MCA, its ‘old' dilemma was choosing between working quietly behind the scenes in the ‘shadow' of its big brother, Umno, and risk being criticised by the community for being a compliant party, or speak out against certain government policies and risk offending big brother.

But since the 2008 general election, a new dilemma for MCA has been introduced into the larger political landscape. And the recent debates between MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng notwithstanding, MCA does not seem to have figured out how to solve this new dilemma.

What are the components of MCA's new dilemma?