MCA set to rejoin Cabinet but still no love from the Chinese

A new leadership elected over the weekend could see MCA finally reviewing its decision against joining the Barisan Nasional (BN) Cabinet but analysts say ministerial appointments will still not attract Chinese support.

At the very least, MCA is to get one ministerial and one deputy ministerial post but this hinges on the Chinese party calling an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to overturn its earlier decision not to accept government posts.

“With hindsight, opting out of Cabinet was a wrong decision. We are denying voters better, efficient service which no one benefitted when we decided to stay out,” former MCA vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung told The Malaysian Insider.

The party had four ministerial and seven deputy minister posts previously but it opted to stay out of Cabinet as it won only seven federal and 11 state seats in GE13, down from the 15 federal and 32 state seats gained in election 2008.

Delegates at its annual general assembly on Sunday made their feelings on the subject clear, saying that it does not augur well for the party not having a say in government policies and decisions.

This was on top of the wishes of 58 Chinese non-governmental organisations urging the party to return to the Cabinet to voice out the community’s needs and aspirations more effectively, including suggesting good and fair government policies

In a scathing assessment, Centre for Policy Initiative director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said the move was aimed at helping themselves and their cronies rather than for the benefit of the community.

“They must be in total self-denial if they believe that they can do more in the Cabinet now with their reduced numbers, weak leaders and reduced political clout than they have done in the past when they were a stronger political force.

“The Chinese community is fully aware that all this talk about more effective Chinese representation if they are in the Cabinet is just hot air and empty promises, driven by self-interest and opportunism,” he said.

Although newly elected MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai did not give a firm answer on the matter, MCA looks set to hold an EGM earliest by next month to pave the way for its return to the Government.

And if delegates give their green light, then the party is expected to be given the Transport Ministry portfolio, which is temporarily headed by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Liow is expected to helm the ministry based on his position as the number one man of a senior BN component party.

MCA is also likely to get a deputy minister post in the Finance Ministry and the party’s number two Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong  is most likely to be appointed.

Currently, the ministry only has one deputy minister – Umno’s Datuk
Ahmad Maslan.

The Umno-controlled English daily New Straits Times had reported that the party might be given Federal Government posts under the “2+2” or “1+3” formula.

The “2+2” formula refers to two ministerial and deputy minister posts each, while the “1+3” denotes one minister and three deputy minister posts.

“The Transport Ministry will be given to Liow and if the prime minister wants Wee to be part of his team, then perhaps the Finance Ministry needs an MCA representative,” the daily quoted a BN source as saying.

MCA Wangsa Maju division chief Datuk Yew Teong Look, however, insisted that MCA should be given back its status quo of four ministers and seven deputy spots.

“We were with BN during the good and bad times. As such, BN must show its sincerity by giving back the same allocation.

“Just because MCA is weaker now does not mean BN should not cut the number of cabinet posts.”

Despite the party’s belief that it can make a difference when it is back in power, the reality is it is unlikely to find any traction with the Chinese community.

Political analyst Oh Ei Sun that if MCA made it back to the Government and wanted to regain its clout in time for GE14, then it must be fierier rather than succumb to its previous subservient role.

“If they don’t agree with a certain policy, they must not only make some noise but at the end still vote for it.

“Rather, they should refuse to vote on principle, or even pull out of the coalition just like many other minority parties in coalition governments in other countries like Japan, Italy, Israel and Germany,” said the analyst from Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. – December 24, 2013.