Former MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker has cautioned against marginalising the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) in favour of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16). He asserted that MCA still holds strategic value and only requires the allocation of winnable seats to demonstrate its continued relevance in national politics.
In a podcast interview hosted by journalist Amin Iskandar and released yesterday, Ti argued that MCA would perform well in Malay-majority constituencies—particularly in contests against DAP.
“MCA can win in many constituencies in Pahang if given the opportunity to contest against DAP,” said Ti, who currently serves as the MCA chief for Kuantan.
He attributed the party’s past losses to contesting in areas that were historically strongholds of DAP, citing the 2018 Balakong by-election as an example. In that by-election, DAP’s Wong Siew Ki won decisively with 22,508 votes, while MCA’s candidate Tan Chee Teong secured just 3,975 votes.
“That loss was expected, as Balakong is a known DAP stronghold. But if we contest in areas with significant Malay populations—say, in Raub—we are confident of attracting the majority of Malay votes under the MCA banner,” he said.
Ti further claimed that UMNO’s current reliance on DAP stems from MCA’s diminished representation in Parliament. He contended that if MCA were granted more strategic seats, especially those with mixed or Malay-majority electorates, it would significantly boost the party’s political standing.
In an earlier interview with Free Malaysia Today in May, Ti expressed concern that UMNO appeared to be favouring DAP in coalition politics, saying: “It feels like MCA is being pushed into a corner, doing what it must to survive.”
He went on to argue that MCA’s decades-long relationship with the Malay community has cultivated trust, especially when compared to DAP, which he said still faces lingering suspicion from Malay voters due to its Pakatan Harapan affiliation.
“UMNO and the Malays are generally more comfortable working with MCA. We do not propagate hatred,” he said.
Ti also noted that the wave of anti-UMNO sentiment among Chinese voters, which previously benefitted DAP, has subsided. He believes voters may now be more inclined to support MCA over parties aligned with Perikatan Nasional (PN).
“MCA is seen as more pragmatic and sincere. We don’t make false promises or resort to populism. In terms of credibility, capability, loyalty, and sincerity, we surpass DAP,” he concluded.
