MCA turns to business matchmaking with China to stay afloat politically

KUALA LUMPUR - After nearly two decades of dwindling political influence, the once-mighty Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) seems to have returned to its roots as a business chamber by hosting a Malaysia-China forum on Dec 2.

- Lu Wei Hoong

The party has been expanding resources into creating links between Chinese Malaysian entrepreneurs and their counterparts from economic powerhouse China, in what is seen by observers as a bid to remain relevant to Malaysia's Chinese community that now largely backs rival Democratic Action Party (DAP).

The party's loss of its political influence is a far cry from the past, when the MCA - founded in 1949, way before the country's independence in 1957 - was a key member of Malaysia's ruling alliance Barisan Nasional (BN) for decades. MCA leaders used to head important Cabinet posts such as in the transport, health and local government ministries.

MCA has been on a losing streak since the 2008 general election, but had maintained posts as Cabinet ministers in BN before the alliance lost in the 2018 national polls, and again in 2022. It currently has only two seats in Parliament.

Today, although BN and the MCA are members of Malaysia's governing coalition, the government is fronted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim from Pakatan Harapan (PH), and not BN.

The ethnic Chinese political party, which claims a membership of one million, does not have any Cabinet ministers today, and has been struggling to position itself as a strong representative of the local Chinese community.

In Malaysia, Malays form the majority with 60 per cent of the 34 million-strong population. Ethnic Chinese and Indians make up 22.6 per cent and 6.6 per cent of the population, respectively.