"Malaysia is a multiracial country. If race-based parties continue to exist, they could affect the harmony and unity among the people as they are only looking out for themselves."
- DAP national chairperson Tan Kok Wai
COMMENT | I am one of those people who argued that MCA should leave BN. Events of the few past months have made me revise my opinion.
Here is the thing though. The cynical part of me thinks that as long as MCA stays relevant, even if they are part of BN, they are a convenient punching bag for DAP even though their criticisms may be credible. It is all part of the political game.
It is also good optics for Umno. As long as Umno can claim there is a multiracial component in BN, this mitigates Umno’s union with PAS. In a way, Umno needs MCA as much as MCA needs Umno.
In my open letter to the MCA, I made two points that are worth revisiting considering how the non-Malay components of Pakatan Harapan are struggling to find a narrative that differentiates them from the non-Malay political operatives from BN.
1. “MCA understands the nature of racial and religious politics when it comes to the power-sharing formula and more importantly, the fault lines when it comes to policy decisions involving the sensitivities of the majority.”
2. “And you have the luxury of not starting from scratch. There are some who would argue that MCA needs to but I am not of that opinion. While Umno rightly points out that MCA is bereft of their protection, the reality is that Umno has very little protection they can offer anyway.”
Right now, Umno/PAS are influencing policy in Harapan by banging the race and religion drum. Umno is still worried that its members are jumping ship hence, MCA’s role is much easier than when they were part of the Umno establishment. What they have to do is continue occupying the secular position in opposition to Umno/PAS and challenging DAP to do the same. When you are part of the government, you are part of its agenda.
The best thing going for MCA right now is that there is no “new Malaysia”...