UMNO GETS NASTY WITH ‘COWARD’ MCA: DON’T THINK YOU CAN RELY ON MALAY SEATS – ISMAIL SABRI TELLS KA SIONG TO HAVE THE GUTS TO CONTEST IN CHINESE-MAJORITY SEATS

MCA should be brave and contest in Chinese-majority seats instead of relying on Malay-majority constituencies, said Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

This is the best time for the Chinese party to focus on winning Chinese votes and seats after its massive win in the Tanjung Piai by-election last month, he said.

“MCA should contest in Chinese-majority constituencies to prove that it is the best choice for Chinese voters because DAP has failed to defend them.

“Just as Umno can defend Malay-majority seats, MCA should be brave and not depend on Malay-majority seats,” said Ismail in a statement today, responding to MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon.

In an interview with Oriental Daily, Chong said it is the right time for MCA to bargain with Umno on the seat allocation following the Tanjung Piai contest

MCA candidate Wee Jeck Seng won the seat back in last month’s by election with a 15,000 vote majority, having previously held it up to the general election in 2018.

The by-election was called following the death of Dr Md Farid Md Rafik on September 21 due to heart complications.

Wee polled 25,466 votes to the 10,380 obtained by the Pakatan Harapan candidate, Karmaine Sardini.

Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam won 1,707 votes, while Berjasa’s Badrulhisham Abdul Aziz took 850.

The two independent candidates, Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar, polled 380 and 32 votes, respectively.

Wee’s win marks the third term he will represent the Johor federal constituency.

Bera MP Ismail said Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders know the best way to allocate seats for the next general election “but this is not the best time to discuss it because there are still many things to do to strengthen the coalition”.

“The issue of seat allocation is for BN to discuss among its leaders and with its new friends in PAS,” said Ismail.

The opposition leader said BN’s job now is to convince voters that it is the best choice.

“So, let us not break our momentum on this issue,” said Ismail.

MCA, which has lost Chinese support since the 2008 elections, has mainly relied on contesting in Malay-majority seats to ensure its survival.

It went from 31 federal seats in 2004 to 15 in 2008, then seven in 2013 before ending with just one in the 2018 elections.

The win in Tanjung Piai doubles the Chinese party’s tally to two, with the other being Ayer Hitam. Both seats are Malay-majority seats that have around 58% Malay voters.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT