DAP stronger as opposition, but MCA must work for Chinese vote

 Former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek says MCA cannot bank on voter frustration with DAP but must rebuild around younger leaders, policy and its education record.

MCA-owned Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman presently boast a combined student population of nearly 50,000, including from the Bumiputera and Indian communities. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA:

DAP may have lost some of its cutting edge in government, but MCA must still prove its worth to win back the Chinese vote, says former party president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

In an exclusive interview with FMT, Chua said many DAP supporters were dissatisfied with the party’s performance in government.

“A lot of DAP (supporters) are saying that DAP is better as opposition, and I fully agree with that. As an opposition party, DAP is quite a formidable force.”

Chua said the Pakatan Harapan component has always excelled at framing issues and transforming simple messages into political momentum capable of shaping voter perception.

“In the 2022 election, DAP came up with this very powerful, simple slogan: ‘Vote BN, Zahid prime minister’. At the time, Zahid had a lot of court cases, had image problems.”

No automatic re-entry for MCA

Chua said MCA should not assume that voter frustration with DAP would translate into a revival of support for the party.

“It’s not that simple, you see. It’s not a case of ‘if it’s not black, it’s white.’”

He said DAP remains deeply entrenched in many Chinese-majority seats, which it won by very large margins.

“In predominantly Chinese constituencies, DAP has really won big, with a majority of 80,000, 100,000. So even if 50% fall off, they will still win with a reduced majority.”

For that reason, Chua said DAP was still likely to retain a strong parliamentary presence.

“DAP will still do well in terms of the number of MPs, but its majority will be reduced. Hopefully MCA will increase its number.”

MCA’s own reset 

Chua said MCA’s path back depends less on attacking DAP and more on proving that it was capable of renewal. He said that although the party was going through a “difficult period”, it possessed a committed base and younger leaders working hard to revive the party.

“As a past president, I will say MCA is very down, but we are not out,” he said, adding that the party has managed to retain a large membership base despite its poor electoral performance.

MCA has framed GE16 as a rebuilding exercise, with party secretary-general Chong Sin Woon previously reported as saying the party is targeting seven parliamentary seats as a realistic starting point for its comeback.

Chua said MCA must target younger voters, who are less loyal to the nation’s traditional parties, and work to engage them on the issues that matter most.

Dr Chua Soi Lek says MCA must target younger voters, who are less loyal to the nation’s traditional parties, and work to engage them on key issues.

“We have a big cohort of young voters, 30% easily. Young, more educated, more critical, and exposed to social media.

“So MCA must be brave enough to embrace a new generation of younger leaders. Not old leaders like me. A younger generation of leaders.”

Policy over service politics 

Chua said MCA’s old service-centre model, built around handling local complaints, was no longer sufficient.

“Roads, rain, floods, rubbish. All these took up a (lot) of our time. We were so focused on this that we forgot more important policy matters.”

He said the party must move beyond day-to-day issues and focus on policies that cut across race and generation, such as environmental and climate change issues, animal cruelty, gender equality, jobs, affordable housing, and care for an ageing population.

Legacy in education 

MCA should also speak more clearly about its education record, Chua said, especially through Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

He said the party has achieved “notable success” in education, with the two institutions having trained some 400,000 graduates, and presently boasting a combined student population of nearly 50,000.

“No political party has achieved what MCA has achieved,” Chua said, adding that said MCA should be more confident in defending that record.

He said the two institutions had allowed access to affordable higher education across all communities. “There are a significant number of Bumiputera and Indian students. But we don’t go to town to shout about it.”

In contrast he said that although DAP had been in power in Penang for 18 years, it has yet to build a comparable education legacy.

“DAP may shout a lot,” but “they have not built even a kindergarten, let alone a university,” said Chua.

He said MCA’s challenge was to combine that education legacy with a modern policy agenda that speaks to younger voters. - FMT