On paper, Bandar Tun Razak - Kuala Lumpur's southernmost constituency - represents MCA's best chance of finally making a comeback in the national capital since 2008.
Albeit a losing effort, MCA's little-known Tan Kok Eng polled more votes in Bandar Tun Razak than his three other Kuala Lumpur MCA colleagues in Seputeh, Bukit Bintang and Cheras combined during the 2013 elections.
But for the local Umno chapter, MCA's past performance doesn't automatically qualify them to run again.
In a recent interview with Malaysiakini, Bandar Tun Razak Umno chief Rizalman Mokhtar said the reason for this is simple: Bandar Tun Razak is a Malay-majority constituency and Malays would prefer to back a Malay candidate.
The main opposition parties seem to have embraced this logic since 1999 and have fielded a Malay candidate every time against an MCA candidate.
"This is because of the local sentiment, the locals want a Malay candidate to stand in a Malay-majority seat. Umno has a better chance compared to MCA.
"We have given the seat to MCA in the past five general elections. It has lost in the two most recent battles," he said.
'If Umno wins, MCA benefits too'
As such, Rizalman believed that MCA should make way for Umno this time round.
"As long as a BN party wins, others will also benefit. So they have to sacrifice," said Rizalman (photo).
Rizalman, 46, has been at the fore in attempts to lobby Umno's top leadership to convince MCA to yield and has produced detailed reports to back his case.
During Bandar Tun Razak Umno's last annual general meeting, Rizalman made a strongly-worded appeal to Umno's leadership and said the Bandar Tun Razak constituency should be named after an MCA president if the MCA was still BN's preferred choice there.
The constituency was named after a town which was in turn named after the second prime minister of Malaysia - Abdul Razak Hussein.
But as of February, MCA president Liow Tiong Lai said that there has been no discussions between Umno and MCA on any swapping of seats.
Bandar Tun Razak has long been known as the bastion of former MCA vice-president Tan Chai Ho (Kok Eng's father) who has delivered the seat for BN with comfortable majorities since 1995.
Based on data from the last general election, Malays made up the majority of voters (53 percent) followed by Chinese (37 percent) and Indians (9 percent).
'I can help Najib'
The incumbent MP is Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who was sacked from PKR in 2014. He is not expected to seek a third term there.
News reports mentioned that MCA would have considered making way for Umno, on the condition that Badminton Association of Malaysia president Norza Zakaria was fielded.
However, Norza told Malaysiakini that the report was "fake news" and said his focus was on sports.
When contacted, local MCA division chief Chew Yin Keen (photo), who is reportedly the party's candidate for Bandar Tun Razak, refused to comment on this story.
As for Umno's candidate, Rizalman has made it no secret that he has been lobbying to his party's pick.
He said he is a local boy and has been serving the community for 15 years as a party activist.
One of his most prominent campaign tools involved him distributing free petrol to motorcyclists in the constituency - capped at RM5,000 per event - once a month.
"I am keen. I can deliver one seat for BN and further ensure the Najib Abdul Razak remains prime minister," he told Malaysiakini.
No clear opposition candidate yet
As for BN's potential opponent in Bandar Tun Razak, what is for certain is that Pakatan Harapan has assigned PKR to field a candidate there.
Although nothing appears to be confirmed for now, there is talk that PKR would either field four-term Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar (photo) or its president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Kamaruddin, who is reputed to be PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's close associate, has been Bandar Tun Razak PKR coordinator for over two years.
However, he may have to make way for Wan Azizah, the incumbent Permatang Pauh MP, who is speculated to be relocated to the capital.
PAS was reportedly committed to fielding a candidate for Bandar Tun Razak as well, with speculation that the task would be handed to Titiwangsa PAS Muslimat wing chief Dr Rosni Adam.
When contacted, Bandar Tun Razak PAS officials declined to confirm her candidacy. -Mkini
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