Quo Vadis MCA?

On Friday Malaysiakini published MCA president finds his voice a little too late.

Malaysiakini quoted former MCA VP Chua Jui Meng’s sarcastic remark that Ong Ka Ting has been locking the stable door only after the horses have bolted, in reference to Ong’s recent pontificating reflections on several so-called sensitive issues which he had previously remained mum on, but which controversies had piled a heap of foul smelling poo on the MCA, showcasing the Chinese party’s helplessness or uselessness in looking after the interests of Chinese Malaysians prior to the 8 March elections.

When those UMNO-instigated or initiated controversies were raging to the anger/fears of non-Malays, the MCA had remained like a mute stung by a hornet. After these series of humiliations suffered under UMNO’s arrogant taikoh-ish hands, it's little wonder that many MCA erstwhile supporters abandoned the Chinese party.

Chua said: “If he was as vocal from 2004 onwards before the general election ... MCA wouldn’t have suffered so many losses."

It's always easy to be wise after the fact. But I wonder whether Chua would have been better than Ong in this respect?

However, Chua was gracious and said 'tis better late than never for Ong to pontificate loudly – thus Ong should be commended and encouraged.

But what caught my attention was Chua’s statement: "We are moving towards a new two-party system. I believe that MCA is still relevant to the Chinese community but not in its current form. MCA must be reformed with a credible lineup of leaders."

Political analysts focussed on the possible change of MCA leadership after the party’s calamitous showing in the March 8 polls as a consequence of its ‘mati ta’mahu, hidup pun segan’ conduct, especially when there is increasing internal party pressure on Ong to quit as president.

But I wonder whether there may be more in Chua's statement "... MCA is still relevant to the Chinese community but not in its current form."

Yes, certainly Chua has been touted as one possible future leader but what is the point of MCA continuing with just a change of guards. The party needs a new lease of life by thinking outside the box.

Personally, to give UMNO a run for its money in the BN, I would like to see the MCA amalgamate with Gerakan, PPP, MIC, SUPP as a second mega party in the BN to counter the gross imbalance of UMNO's hold on BN party power.

Coincidentally a sweetie told me that Bernama reported Ong Tee Keat saying the MCA needs to change by adopting a more multiracial outlook and approach, or face the risk of extinction in the national political landscape. Ong admitted it may be some way to go before the MCA could bring itself to transform into a multi-ethnic party.

But perhaps a merger among the non-UMNO component parties may be a quicker approach to the required change.

I believe PPP would be more than eager to join - after all not too long ago Kayveas was desperately trying to merge with Gerakan, but the poor bloke was rejected by Lim KY. SUPP should be OK, as it’s a party not unlike MCA.

But I reckon the difficulties will lie with the Gerakan-MCA gi-normous egos and conceits. UMNO has effectively made MCA and Gerakan hate each other through a structured engagement along the lines of the old British ‘divide and rule’ policy.

Additionally, with a publicly known history of treachery and backstabbing between the two Chinese parties, there is less likelihood of any accommodating give and take.

The irony is that, despite its so-claimed multi-ethnic characteristic and a couple of Indian senators as frill decorations, the Gerakan is no different to the MCA, a Chinese based party. The greater irony is that the DAP, much as it has been demonized by UMNO, is the real multi-racial party, unlike Gerakan.

If the MCA and Gerakan can accommodate each other, especially with the retirement of Lim KY (an ex MCA bloke who left the original Chinese party with a huff and puff), there may be a slim possibility of the two Chinese parties coming together.

;-) If they do, I would recommend a name for their new identity, PWOJ or Parti Warisan Oon Jaafar, or just PWO.

Now that may put the cat among the UMNO pigeons ;-)