For several weeks up to last weekend, the Malaysian Chinese Association's (MCA) elections dominated space in local newspapers, in particular the Chinese-language dailies.

Contradictory impressions have emerged from the coverage. One common impression gained is that MCA is more democratic than the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

Umno seems to allow procedurally freer elections at all levels of the party, while the MIC is more autocratic and paternalistic.

However, there is also an observation that MCA's 'internal democracy' has been plagued by money politics, triad connections, warlord-ism, phantom members and poison-pen letters.