It’s too late now for the MCA, Gerakan and SUPP

It is interesting to know that there was an attempt by MCA and Gerakan, together with SUPP, to leave the Barisan Nasional and to strike out on its own. The trio had considered leaving the BN coalition to be Independents. However, with everyone lacking the courage to speak out, the plan never went through.

SUPP president, George Chan in a rare outburst days ago, had warned DAP against joining BN stressing that BN will never give priority to the Chinese, regardless of whether the representative party was the DAP, MCA, Gerakan or SUPP. Many SUPP leaders too believed their chances of survival were dim if they continued to stick onto the BN coalition. As independents, they still stood a fighting chance to regain their former support.

Since the last GE, the MCA and Gerakan have perched precariously, with UMNO constantly eyeing both parties with growing distrust and suspicion. Chances are high they won't last long in the BN, and all eyes are on them to make the next move. UMNO is torn between retaining them or purging them from the BN coalition. In the end UMNO, the big brother of the coalition, decided to accommodate them on the condition that they lie low and try not to ‘misbehave.’

Some think that BN might disintegrate if MCA and Gerakan abandon the coalition, but that is just a tall tale. UMNO is still there, it is still strong, even with rumours of internal politicking and factionalising. Certainly, it does not need any propping up from MCA and Gerakan. Not when these two can hardly prop themselves up.

Failed to remake themselves after 2008 GE

Ong Tee Keat’s presidency didn’t last long. When he tried to rock the BN’s boat in the PKFZ scandal, he was promptly 'cold-storaged'. Alarmed at the propsect of another Ong Ka Ting era, when the party seemed to stand still in time, MCA warlords had no choice but to make do with Chua Soi Lek, the scandal-tainted Health Minister who was forced to resign over a sex DVD that became viral on You Tube.

Three years have gone by, but MCA’s fortunes have not changed for the better and their inability to woo the Chinese has made UMNO jittery. Constantly at the receiving end of UMNO’s tantrums, the MCA leadership has stooped to lying low and silently accepting the abuse.

Gerakan on the other hand was created way back during the Alliance days (the BN's old name), and was an opposition party. Then, Gerakan had commanded the overwhelming support of the people until its leader, Lim Chong Eu, was persuaded to take it into the BN. Since then Gerakan has been riding on BN’s popularity. Somehow, it seemed to have forgotten this and its leaders became high-and-mighty.

Lost in a constant I scratch your back, you scratch mine agreement with UMNO, Gerakan and MCA top leaders slowly but surely lost touch with their electorates. The people saw a backslide in their basic constitutional rights with economic policies glaringly in favour of the majority race. So it was that during the last election, MCA and Gerakan never saw it coming and couldn't believe it when disgruntled voters finally chucked them out. With the blame game on, they blamed everyone but themselves, while the people chuckled in glee.

For Gerakan, which considers itself a multiracial party unlike the MCA, the 2008 GE was a huge blow and not just to its credibility. With just two seats in the Parliament, their presence became almost invisible without adequate powers to debate the formulation of policy or to oppose it.

Meanwhile, die-hard supporters of MCA, Gerakan and SUPP waited patiently for their next move in the aftermath of the 2008 GE, but these never came. The next General Election is almost here, so it is too late for the trio to contemplate any move.

UMNO the Terrible

But what if they had tried to leave? What would have been the outcome?

Firstly, UMNO would have been very displeased. Any threats to abandon the coalition would be swiftly dealt with. Like the pirates code, any mutiny would entail mutineers walking the plank blindfolded with hands tied behind their backs and blindfolded. Imagine the big fat shark below wiping its mouth with its fat tongue. So nothing less than trumped-up charges of a revolt to the King and country which would surely result in a prolonged stay at the Kamunting Detention Centre for serious criminals if they dared to summon the courage to leave.

Moreover, all assets belonging to both parties would likely be frozen, like their party headquarters or the Starnewspaper. Swift charges of graft if any will be activated and they will be at the mercy of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. So, abandoning the coalition would be a great risk, without political immunity.

Is this an exaggeration, could UMNO stoop so low as to sieze their assets, which would actually be tantamount to looting? A quick check around would surely yield the answer that UMNO could stoop much much lower than that! It has been eyeing the Star, a money-spinning cash cow, for years and chances are it would pry the paper away from MCA if the party ever parted ways with the BN.

Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, with his near unlimited resources, will also not allow a weakened SUPP to abandon the BN coalition either. There are too many state secrets to be protected and a mutiny may weaken the coalition.

But sinister and frightening these may seem, are they good enough reasons for the MCA to thrown in the towel and remain trapped and abused forever? That is the more crucial question. And it also applies to the Gerakan and SUPP.

Now, a chance to run for the door

Lately, UMNO seems to be showing the trio the door, so maybe if they dared to take the first step, UMNO might just bid them farewell without retaliating or trying to hold them back through dubious means.

So the question of whether they should have left earlier or not is moot as they would not have survived such a hostile environment. If they do actually leave the BN now to be independents, and if they show sincerity to lead instead of ‘lust’ for power, they may redeem some credibility with their supporters. Maybe there is still time. With UMNO jostling for seats now, maybe it high time to use this excuse and run for the door.

If they had left, they could also toy with the idea of forming BN 2 - a credible ‘third force’ comprising MCA, GERAKAN, MIC, SUPP, LDP, PBS and others. BN 2 would only cooperate with UMNO on an independent basis, but for now, this is a little too far fetched given the timeframe is so near to the election.

Staying on is not an option, as they will die a natural death and with the stigma of being a ‘running dog’ etched onto their reputations for a long time to come. But leaving to become an independent party won’t guarantee that the people will return trust and support to them. Written off as being the cause of misery to the rakyat (citizens) and betrayers of the Chinese, some insist that these 'spineless' whores should just disappear.

But there are others that believe that MCA, Gerakan and SUPP should stay, and stick it out until after the election. By staying put, they can still have access to resources, insider info, campaign funds, seat allocations and the BN's election machinery to salvage some sort of decent results.

Also Pakatan Rakyat would not have to deal with more split votes should the trio become independent because an immediate tie-up is not recommended at this moment.

Too late

With so much disillusionment, it is no wonder the Chinese feel there is no more need for any party to represent them. There is always DAP to turn to, should anything untoward arises.

But without these parties in existence, the conduits and lifelines that power the Chinese mega-tycoons in this country will be severed, and they will be forced to negotiate directly with UMNO. Now, that would be interesting to watch.

As for the DAP, they are not about to budge an inch nor entertain the thought of a unity government with UMNO. They prefer to weather it out and go for the kill, along with partners PKR and PAS.

So it seems that for MCA, Gerakan and SUPP, whatever decision they make, in the end it will still be a ‘lose-lose’ situation. If only they had the courage to make that decision earlier, they might still be able to salvage their pride and leave a mark on the political scene. But it is too late now.

- Malaysia Chronicle