MCA perlu terjemah ‘kejayaan kecil’ dengan tembusi kubu DAP, kata penganalisis

MCA acknowledges a modest success in Johor and Negeri Sembilan where they secured eight seats for BN and two respectively, during the PRN held on July 11 and August 1 last year. According to a political analyst, MCA's small victory in these two PRN elections may instill a new spirit, but the real test lies in regaining the support of the majority voters, especially the large Chinese community, who have been increasingly leaning towards the DAP since the 2008 general elections.

The analyst points out that MCA's wins were largely influenced by the support from the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) parties, specifically through the Malay voters' backing in contested seats dominated by MCA.

MCA needs to rebuild trust among voters gradually through consistent performance and problem-solving, rather than relying solely on campaigns or political promises. Analysts from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) suggest that MCA should leverage their parliamentary position to showcase their ability to work and resolve issues, in order to convince the MCA voters that they still have a relevant role.

The President of MCA, Wee Ka Siong, recently reminded party leaders and members not to be overly satisfied or embarrassed by these "small victories", referring to the positive outcomes achieved in the PRN elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

However, UTM's Mazlan Ali argues that such cooperation may present further challenges for MCA if the joint campaign narrative becomes overly dominated by Malay-Islam narratives. He notes that MCA has benefited from the unity of Malay voters in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, but this does not necessarily mean that the influence of DAP among non-Malay voters has diminished.

If the MCA continues to operate within a diverse political landscape heavily influenced by Malay-Islam issues, their sympathy or support may decrease among non-Malay voters. This situation risks making MCA even more dependent on Malay voters to win seats, while the non-Malay voters might continue to prefer the DAP party. Mazlan emphasizes that MCA must prove its ability to represent the interests of the Chinese community while also demonstrating that their recent achievements are not just a temporary victory.